Lifetime of Promises
by alikat224
Summary: Jason and Maxie are put into an impossible situation. Spinelli can only watch and help from the sidelines. How will these two that can barely stand each other manage to work together to survive.
1. Prologue

What you need to know:

As far as I know, everything up to and around the time of the second Jake-napping has occurred on the show. I've only watched since early 2004 though so forgive me if I get things wrong. Also, I love Liason but this is not a Liason fic. Along with the Russians bearing down on Jason and his organization, his relationship with Sonny is still in shambles. He's sneaking around with Elizabeth. Spinelli is still doing his cyber bidding with Maxie dangerously distracting his young sidekick while aggravating him at every turn.

Here's where this changes up a bit. We are also going to incorporate the Agent Raynor/FBI thing. They've got the goods on Jason and Spinelli. Maxie is slowly getting herself involved and becoming infatuated with Johnny.

I don't want to spill too much and the story will go slowly at first so that some info and background can be established. The prologue is a forward flash to a year in the future but then we'll back track to give you more history than the prologue does.

**Lifetime Of Promises**

**Prologue**

Finally, he could see the shoreline. It had been four long months and if he had to spend one more day with Maxie Jones he was probably going to throw himself overboard. Killing her would have been his first choice but he had made promises. And Jacob and Cameron loved her. More than they loved him it seemed at times.

But there had to be at least one adult in the foursome and over the past year he had discovered quickly that it would have to be him. Honestly, sometimes he thought that Cameron behaved more mature than Maxie did.

She was constantly complaining. And about the stupidest stuff. _She needed new shoes. She missed having her nails done. She didn't get to bring even a fourth of her clothes. There was no cell service. Her hair and clothes were last years fashion._ _She needed a professional stylist. She needed a facial and a bikini wax. She had no privacy. Her room was too small. She hated the food. The water wasn't Evian. The air smelled like fish. The shower was too small. _

And the one that drove him craziest _I'm not your slave Jason Morgan._

How was it that asking her to cook or help with Jake and Cameron at bedtime or watch them while he was working or for that matter once in a while doing the dishes meant that she was suddenly his slave?

As the marina came into view where he was scheduled to dock their 52' Tiara Sovran Yacht they picked up for the last leg of their trip in Port Grimaud, France, he sighed in relief. He was going to get at least a few days away from Maxie Jones. Even if he had to tie her to a pole and leave her there. Better yet, even if he had to do something to get him thrown into jail for a few days. Anywhere that she wasn't was fine with him.

But then, he couldn't leave the boys. Even if they preferred their time to be spent with the pixie shrew, he was their father. They were his responsibility. But clearly, he was not the favorite.

And if he was honest with himself, he knew that Maxie truly deserved a break from him and his boys as well if not more.

He knew he could be unbearable on a good day. He wasn't much for small talk and she was all about small useless conversations about fashion and clothes and shoes and whoever was the new _IT_ person on the cover of her dozens of fashion and gossip magazines she insisted he buy for her at every port.

She even had Cameron talking about Brangelina and their new twins. Who the hell cared? So two movie stars have a half a dozen kids. Did that really _**mean**_ something in the scheme of life?

Not to him.

But to her, that information was her lifeline. The connection to her past. To her old life and old dreams.

The dreams that in one fell swoop, he took away from her.

"Are we there yet?" He heard her screech as she was climbing up the stairs to the helm. "Honestly, we would have been here a week ago but NOOOOOO the Borg has to take a trip around the Caymans. Why did you by the way?"

Jason looked over to see Maxie standing in her green strapless sun-dress with her arms crossed over her chest. Suddenly he was taken back to the time that Elizabeth stood in the church, waiting for him with her hair pulled up in the back and curling around her heart shaped face. Her dress was similar but had two tiny spaghetti straps. He held her hand in the church where Patrick and Robin were supposed to get married.

One month later, she was dead.

Maxie must have noticed the look on his face because suddenly her facial features softened. "I'll go get the boys ready. Jake is still taking his nap so if I don't wake him now, he'll be a bear when we go ashore."

"And change your clothes!" Jason growled. He hated that fucking dress and it seemed like she was always wearing it.

Maxie turned at his tone and narrowed her eyes. "You know what Jason Morgan. I hate you!"

"Good!" he replied turning the steering wheel to angle the boat into the narrow channel. He could see the slip he rented up ahead.

Maxie turned back to say something else but could see that he was already past yet another fight the two were having. All she could do was groan in frustration and go down into the lower cabin to the smaller berth mid port. The boys room.

She opened the door and rolled her eyes at the wall to ceiling clothes, toys and books. The room was no bigger than her closet back in Port Charles. Uncle Mac had given her the master bedroom after Georgie died because working for Kate Howard afforded her much more couture.

She smirked thinking about how Matt and Mac complained that the spare room was filled with more of her clothes and shoes. Kate was a great boss. She knew Maxie hardly cared about the money as long as she could afford her double soy mocha latte's and her weekly mani-pedi. So part of her pay was in clothes and shoes. All from the hotest new designers and fashion houses. Much of the stuff sent to the magazine was assured to be in her size.

_God what I so wouldn't give for a mani-pedi and a day with Brianna doing my hair while Nico gave me a facial. Ohhh a day at the PC Spa in the Metro Court. Then a night out on the town with Johnny in a Frederico orignal with Jimmy Choo stilettos and handbag to match._

She was pulled from her thoughts when two and a half year old Jake gurgled as he rubbed his little fist in his eyes. She smiled down at the boy who looked just like his father but with much blonder hair. She was astounded how attached she had become to him and his brother over the past year.

If someone would have told her that she'd be caring for Elizabeth Webber Spencer's kids a little over a year ago, she would have laughed in their face. Of course, just a year ago, she had the whole world at her feet. She had Johnny Zacharra panting after her. Spinelli, her best friend in the whole world at her beck and call. Then she was the Belle of high fashion, couture, going to parties with movers and shakers in the fashion, design and publishing world. All clamoring for a morsel of her time because she was the First Assistant to Ms. Kate Howard, Owner and Fashion Editor of Crimson.

Her smile toward the little boy faltered when she thought of Kate. Her beautiful mentor. The woman who gave her the reason and will to live after Cooper then Georgie died. She didn't escape bullet number three. Her luck had run out and so had the rest of Port Charles'.

At least anyone tied to Sonny Corinthos or Jason Morgan.

"Maxie, I gotta go potty." Jake said as he climbed up on the double bed and launched himself into the former fashionista's arms.

"Okay Jake. Come on and then we'll get a snack. We're almost in Tampa so we'll be able to go find a park and play. Doesn't that sound fun?" she asked as she turned around and deposited Jake on the toilet with the child's seat attached.

You barely had to walk on the boat they were on to get from one end to the other. Even a fifty two foot yacht was crammed when four people were living on it for months at a time. It had two rooms, one larger than the other, a livingroom, dining room, kitchen combination area that Jason called the galley and then there was a little room to play above deck at the helm where the boats controls were located.

Jason had safety alarms put in so that Jake and Cameron could play up on deck and not climb over or fall into the water but just to be safe, they always had floating devices on when outside of the cabin. Jason would drive the boat most of the day while the kids played and Maxie entertained them or read one of her magazines.

He tried to teach her how to drive the boat but became so frustrated with her that he gave up, effectively extending their trip by at least a month. Then there were his diversions.

It was all about diversions with him. They started off in Canada then took a train to Seattle. From there they took a cruise to Alaska and flew from Alaska to Baja, Mexico. From there they took a Winnebago down the coast of South America and across to Porto Alegre, Brazil. They stayed there for about two months and then took a plane to the Fiji Islands.

From there they went to Australia. That's where Cameron came down with a mysterious illness and they all flew back to the states so that Cameron could have treatment at St. Josephs Children's Hospital in Tampa, Florida. A month later, Cameron was fine and they headed back out and bounced around Europe and Asia before they got the word that everything was set up. They could come home.

Jason would have never chosen Florida for their final destination but the FBI was calling a lot of the shots.

Or so he assumed.

"Maximista? Fair Maximista? Where are you?" Maxie's head perked up. "Tis I, the Jackal. I've come to rescue you from your impressive albeit cramped sojourn across the ocean."

Maxie quickly helped Jake tug on his Pull Ups and cargo shorts and patted him on the behind for good measure before pulling the toddler into her arms and turned to head through the galley toward the entrance.

There like a Beacon of Hope, stood Damien Spinelli. Special Agent Damien Spinelli of the Federal Beaureau of Investigation.

Maxie attempted to put Jacob down and launch herself at her best friend but Cameron beat her to it.

"SPINELLI!" The little boy shouted. "YAY! Maxie...Spinelli's here!"

He turned around in Spinelli's arms and looked at Maxie. "I see him Cam."

"Panelli pick me up too." Jacob requested from his position. He came to just above Spinelli's knees now. He'd grown at least three inches since he'd seen the Littlest Stone Cold last.

"What wondrous feats. The Littlest Dude has grown since I last laid eyes on the Progeny in Paris." Spinelli announced in his own special way as he bent down and Jacob climbed up into his arms then promptly yanked the toy motorcycle from Cameron's fist.

"Don't remind me of Paris Spinelli." Maxie groaned as she walked over to the threesome. "I had to leave all of my beautiful clothes and shoes and hats and...I can't think about it. Every time I do I want to throw a knife at..."

"Didn't I tell you to change clothes?" The man she was about to name as her target came walking down the four steps into the cabin pulling Cameron out of Spinelli's arms because the boy was balling up his fist to hit his little brother for his toy thieving antics.

"And why exactly would I do _anything_ you tell me to do. You don't own me." She huffed and balled her fists onto her hips and bent slightly at the waist.

Having seen this stance a million times over the past year he rolled his eyes and chimed in with her, mimicking her next statement.

"I'm not your slave Jason Morgan." they both said in unison.

Damien Spinelli watched along with Cameron and Jacob to see what would happen next. The two blonds squared off. The older blond, much larger with much darker hair put his oldest son down. The younger, platinum pixie of a blond set her jaw to mimic her opponent. They each claimed a step between them and took in a deep breath.

Suddenly Spinelli moved in between them and stammered, "I...uh...we...we have an appointment to close on the sale of the boat and the house. It's at an attorney's office just a few blocks away from here. Then I thought that...well...Winnie is here with me this time. She's agreed to stay with the boys." He turned to Maxie then, "I thought that maybe we could go out to a little place in Indian Rocks Beach. Have some dinner, maybe walk on the beach. I reserved a room at a hotel that has a day spa. I thought maybe..."

"I'm NOT going to dinner with her." Jason said never letting his guard down.

"Oh no Stone...err...Jason...I have a brand new Harley waiting for you. I figured you might like to take a few days and...do whatever it is that you do on your journey's of solitude."

Damien Spinelli smiled. Not because he had effectively stunned silent both Jason and Maxie. Not because, for once, it was his _Master_ relying on him to handle all of the details of their next project. Not because he knew that by the end of the night, he would most likely be in the bed and in the arms of the woman he had loved for two years. But because he was getting much better at not speaking Spinelli-speak. Something that Agent Raynor told him he needed to stop doing before he changed his mind and Spinelli became "Princess" to a big black guy named "Bubba" in a Federal Penitentiary.

Jason was the first one to speak.

"It has a big back yard?"

"Yes. It's actually two lots with one house on it." Spinelli responded, straightening his posture.

"And it has four bedrooms?" Jason looked over at Maxie who now had the same curious look as he did. Mention of the number of bedrooms was important. Four was the minimum number both Maxie and Jason agreed upon.

"It has three..." Spinelli saw the rage in both his best friend and his mentors eyes and quickly included, "but it has this room that they call a Florida room. It's like another master bedroom added on to the back of the house. It could easily be used as a fourth bedroom and it also has a separate entrance. So that maybe the person living in the room could sneak out at night for a ride?"

"Or a date!" Maxie interjected and both Spinelli and Jason scowled at her suggestion.

"But why would the Fair Maximista..."

"You can't date when you have kids and a husband at home Maxie." Jason cut his friends cries off and became serious. "You can't date when you're supposed to be a married woman with two young boys."

"About that..." Maxie chimed in, rolling her eyes at Jason and then looking to Spinelli. "Why do I have to be the Mom. It won't work. They call me Maxie, not Mommy. I'll never be able to convince people that _**this**_ body gave birth to two kids."

She held her arms out and Spinelli took advantage and perused her body fully and thoroughly from toe to blond tips. "And there's no way the _Neanderthal_ over there is touching me. In private OR in public."

Jason grunted and Maxie laughed, "See. He's an ape. A...a...a"

"Beast" Jason afforded for her.

"Well, yes...an uncouth, uncultured, uncaring BEAST!" She retorted, regaining her previous stance of hands on hips, scowl etched across her beautiful face.

"Well at least I'm not an air-headed, whiny, SPOILED LITTLE BRAT!" Jason spat back. He had moved and was now standing, bent a little so that he was inches from her face.

She felt the hot air from his breath when he spoke, or rather shouted, the last few words and took a few retreating steps but bumped into the counter that held the stove and washer-dryer combo that both ran on diesel. She caught herself and braced the counter.

Again, Jake, Cameron and Spinelli could do nothing but stand and wait for the next round of arguing to pass. They flinched at several words but finally, it was Jake who spoke up when Maxie had tears starting to well up in her beautiful blue eyes.

"Daddy, stop making Maxie cry." The two year old pleaded with his father. He tugged on Maxie's green dress and Maxie bent over and picked up the little boy.

With his tiny little hands, he wiped away the lone tear that had shed and then turned back to his father. "You are not being nice. It's not nice to make girls cry."

Jason was defeated and the long breath he let out was proof of such. "I'm sorry Jake."

"Don't say sorry to Jake, Jason. You have to say sorry to Maxie. She's crying." Cameron piped in, pointing out the obvious.

Jason looked down at his oldest child. The one he adopted as Elizabeth lay on her death bed. The paperwork showed that he had actually adopted the boy six months prior so that there was no way anyone from the Spencer or Webber family could try to take him. He rolled his eyes at the curly headed little boy with big soulful brown eyes.

Cameron reminded Jason so much of his mother. His strong determination. His caring and nurturing side. His rambling conversations. His love for anything that had to do with drawing or painting. Aside from his eyes being brown, he was the spitting image of Elizabeth. And he could convince Jason of anything, just like his mother.

"You're right Cam." he looked up at Maxie. "Sorry."

She harumphed but then smiled and verbally accepted Jason's half hearted apology when Cameron took on her own stance and with hands on hips quirked an eyebrow at her. Jake giggled at the incident he'd seen too many times. He didn't know what was going on but when Maxie and Daddy fought, it always ended like this.

Deciding he wanted to play while the adults talked, he squirmed down from Maxie's arms, after placing a big kiss on her cheek. He then ran off to his cabin with Cameron following closely behind yelling to give back his motorcycle.

"Maximista? You have to go along with the plan. We've made all of the arrangements. Your altered arrangements. I even managed your special request. I was going to show you the boutique tomorrow."

Jason's ears perked up and he turned away from watching his two sons climb up on their bed and looked at Spinelli. "What did you just say?"

"Uh...I was going to show her the boutique?...Tomorrow?" Spinelli slouched and brushed his unruly hair across his forehead, noticeably nervous. Had Maxie not told his Master of her request?

"No, I mean altered arrangements....What altered arrangements have you made for her?" Jason said pointing a long finger at Maxie.

"Oh, well...when we were all here the first time...you know when Cam became so sick from that virus he picked up in Fiji?" Spinelli shuffled his feet across the teakwood floor and crossed and uncrossed his fingers.

"Go on..." Jason prompted.

"I...um...well...she...ahhh"

"Oh Christ Spinelli! Why are you so scared of Jason the Jerk?" She fumed at her best friend and then turned, lifting her chin to Jason's glaring face. Looking him in the eye she announced, "When we were here last time, I told Spinelli that the only way I would stay with you and go along with this plan of so called Witness Protection was if we could settle here in the Tampa area and I could own a small boutique in the upscale part of town so that I could import and sell Couture Fashion and shoes."

"YOU WHAT?" Jason yelled.

"What part of that did you not understand Jason. Honestly, you act like you are smarter than everyone. You ran a mob for Christs sake and you cannot grasp the concept of me coercing Spinelli and well...the FBI into giving me what I want to go along with their stupid plan? A plan, by the way, that I never agreed to nor asked to be a part of."

"You couldn't stay there. They would have killed you. You knew too much. You were a way to get to me, to...the boys, your family...to..."

"Me." Spinelli provided for his former boss.

Jason nodded affirmative at his former roommates addition to the list. "Besides, Mac"

Maxie interrupted, "Yeah Yeah Yeah, I've heard all of this before Jason. Mac begged and so did Robin."

"Well they did Maxie. They didn't want you killed. Mac made me promise to take you with me and the boys and keep you safe."

"And the FBI promised me that if I worked for them, I would not go to jail and neither would Jason. And that they would let me be their liason for you two. This was all worked out a year ago Maxie. Then when you made your additional demands, I went to Agent Raynor and we were able to work them out as well. We have a house for you in Largo, near the beach and we have the high end couture boutique for you to run. It's all set. Now you have to keep your end of the bargain." Spinelli reasoned with the woman who filled his dreams each night.

"But I don't want to be his wife. He hates me Spinelli. Can't I just go with you?" she pleaded as she trailed her finger up his torso and leaned her body up against his.

She knew how to get her way where it came to Spinelli. Whenever she needed something or wanted something she appealed to his desire for her in the biblical sense. Besides, even if he was only her best friend and she could never imagine more, he was a wonderful lover. So attentive to her sexual needs and always willing to please her. Over the past year, whenever they met up with Spinelli she would sleep with him. Partly to satisfy her urges and also to get one more thing she wanted out of this deal.

Quickly Spinelli's arms wrapped around her waist and he pulled her the rest of the way to him. He gently placed a kiss to her lips and shook his head no. "Were that I could...I would whisk you away to be with me...to be mine forever and a day Fair Maximista for you are the loveliest of all women that roam the Earth."

Realizing what he had just said, he flinched and looked over at Jason who had visibly been affected by the comment. Maxie still roamed the Earth while the most beautiful woman ever created lie dead, cold in the ground in the Hardy/Webber section of the Port Charles Cemetery. Right next to her grandmother Audrey.

"I'm so sorry Stone Cold. It was thoughtless to mention..."

"Don't" was all Jason said as he took several cleansing breaths.

He then looked at Maxie, who was sidled up to Spinelli purring in his ear. She was the reason they were in Florida. She was the reason they weren't in Europe or South America where he felt safer. She was the reason he was going to have to live the version of a life that the FBI came up with for him and his kids. He couldn't just be rich and her be the nanny. Nope, they had to be a struggling middle class young family. He had to find a nine to five job. Something he honestly didn't mind so much. But still. He had to pretend, at least for five years, that she was his wife and the mother of his two boys. Then, they could get a divorce but still had to keep their lives close knit.

As the FBI explained, even if they got a "divorce" after establishing themselves, they would have to remain in the same town and keep up the ruse. The boys would be their tie to each other forever. She would still be Maxine Webber Johnson and he would still be Jason Johnson with their two kids, Cameron Webber Johnson and Jacob Martin Johnson. Either way, they would still have to be in each others lives for school plays and football games. Graduation and college. Weddings, babies and all that comes in a lifetime.

"If I have to stay here with _**HIM**_ then I want to be the aunt. **NOT** the wife."

"Maximista" Spinelli went to protest but then Maxie cut him off. And with her reasoning, neither Spinelli nor Jason could argue her points.

"The boys call me Maxie, who calls their mom by her first name? Jason cannot stand me and frankly, I'm not real thrilled with him either. How are we supposed to convince neighbors, teachers and co-workers, and eventually new friends that we are a happy couple. And again....who in their right mind would think I, Maxie Jones..."

"Maxine Webber Johnson" Spinelli interjected.

"Fine Maxie Johnson...but still...it won't work. I can't pull it off. However, I know I could pull off being the aunt."

"But you and Stone...Jason don't look anything alike." Spinelli pointed out.

"And that's why I'll be the sister of his wife who died a year ago in a car crash." she quickly looked over at Jason to see that he was okay. She hated bringing up Elizabeth. It was the only time she would see the real deep down pain in him. After a year, she recognized it and avoided it. Not just because she had compassion but because as soon as the sadness would fade, so would any semblance of a good mood.

"Well..." Spinelli searched his brain... "you know...actually, that could work. Actually that could work better than our original plan."

"Oh yeah? Why?" jason finally spoke.

"Well, because she's right Jason. You two don't get along. Many people don't get along with their in-laws but put aside their differences for the sake of the children, especially after such tragic events. It would also explain Cameron calling you Jason. Cameron could be her son and Jacob yours..."

"No, the boys are brothers." Jason shook his head as he sat down on the bench couch he had called a bed for the past four months. He would sure be glad to climb into a regular bed, _a big bed_...he thought to himself, _I'm sleeping in a king sized bed tonight_.

"Right and again, Cameron doesn't call me Mommy. I already thought of that though. That's where the truth comes in because in every good lie, there is a lot of the truth. Cameron is his step-son that he adopted five years ago when he and Lisa got married."

"Lisa?" Jason asked, looking up from his hands.

"Oh yes, since I'll be the aunt, I figured that my sister could be named Monalisa...Lisa for short. Besides, Elizabeth was an artist, a painter...and what painting is more famous than the Mona Lisa." she smirked.

"This will work. But...I need to check in with Agent Raynor. We'll probably have to put off the sale of the house and the boat until tomorrow when we can draw up new papers."

"I don't want to put that off. I'm ready to settle down. Cameron will start kindergarten in three months and I want us moved in and established. I want the boys to have friends before Cam starts school. Besides..."

"Besides what?"

"I can't take being Elizabeth's widower." he whispered as the tear slowly rolled down his cheek.

Here's the boat they were on for the four months. .com/boats/2006/Tiara-Sovran-5200-1858440/Ft.-Lauderdale/FL/United-States


	2. Chapter 1

Author's Note: Well I have gotten a lot of really positive responses from this story so far.

I want to say a special thanks to **MelindaM**…you and your Jaxie stories have inspired me. However, as I said before…this will have to be a very slow process to get from A to Z in this.

And **Mallory**…my Liason friend. There was only one way this story could happen in my mind. Elizabeth had to die. (Yes, tis sad…very, very sad.) But if not, I would have never been able to type the first word of this. Glad you came with me on this one as I will probably be shunned from the rest of my Liason friends LOL (Just kidding…I know some of you are reading but won't admit it with proof via review.) Mallory, I'm glad you are brave enough to speak up. Your encouragement has always inspired me with all of my stories.

Reviews are helpful and I thank **Mary, musican, ayshen, theadventurer** and of course **Melinda** and **mallory** for their replies to the prologue. And trust me, this will be slow but like I said…there is no way that I see those two getting together without a long road to get there.

Finally, the neighbors we will meet in this next chapter seem suspiciously like my Aunt and Uncle. Well….that's because they ARE my aunt and uncle. So if you know them, recognize the names or descriptions…please don't tell them I'm doing this ;-)

**Chapter 1**

"Promise me Jason." She said and Jason couldn't say no. He never could when she looked at him like that.

It was unfair what she was asking. Hadn't he done enough? Hadn't he lost enough? Why did the weight of the world, or at least the protection of every person in the town of Port Charles fall on him? His shoulders were burdened enough.

He looked over at the blue eyes staring at him. Then a set of huge soulful brown ones.

"I don't think it will work." He replied.

And he didn't. He could not see how it was possible for their plan to work. Every aspect of the plan was ridiculous to think they could pull it off. On paper it might look like the best way but reality told him it was the opposite.

"It will Jason. Trust me." Came the deep commanding voice.

Jason looked up at Mac Scorpio. He was asking him to take his only living daughter with him when he took Cameron and Jacob on the run. He had already worked out the details of a semi-witness protection situation with Agent Raynor and was days away from leaving when Mac and Robin came to him with their ridiculous plan.

Unfortunately, everyone else was on board with the idea as well. Spinelli, Raynor, Monica, Sam...hell even Felecia, Anna, Robert and Frisco Jones himself made appearances for this meeting. Carly and Lucky were on board with the idea too, which floored him to no end. Carly and Lucky were the most selfish people he knew. He could not believe that Carly was okay with him leaving, especially without her and Lucky was okay with him taking the boys. Although he suspected that Lucky was still only thinking of himself and how raising the two boys would inconvenience him.

Not that Jason would have let him raise his son without Elizabeth anyway.

The only one that agreed with him that this was a monumentally ludicrous idea was Maxie Jones herself.

He looked back down into the beautiful brown eyes that at one point in his life could tell him to go cut his leg off and he would do it without question. "Robin"

"Please Jason. Your own people told you she's in danger." She pleaded looking over at Cody who was sitting in the room along with Max and Bernie.

And it was true. It was all true. Sonny was in custody, along with Claudia, Anthony and Trevor. Oddly enough, it was Ric Lansing that took them all down. The whole time he had been working the other end for the feds and they were just covering their bases with using Spinelli to manipulate Jason. The Russians came in full force and when Sonny murdered Karpov, the feds had everything they needed against all of them. Anthony Zacharra had spilled the beans about Claudia's involvement in Michael's shooting and Jerry Jacks had quietly slipped out of town taking the Russians money, the drugs and his life still in tact, with him.

Many suspected his brother Jax helped him, but Carly insisted to the FBI and everyone who would listen that Jax would never do that.

Jason wasn't so sure.

Cody had been tracking the whereabouts of the rest of the Russians and they were definitely trying to move in. Since Sonny was incapacitated, Jason and his family were targeted immediately. Lucky and Jason tried to get Elizabeth, Sam and the boys out of town but what they didn't know is that the Russians followed the women and children to the cabin. They kidnapped Jake and while Jason was off rescuing Jake with Sam, Elizabeth was being attacked by the Russians while she protected Cameron.

When Lucky finally got to the cabin, Elizabeth was struggling to hold on to life. Cameron was nowhere to be found. It took Jason returning to the cabin to find that Elizabeth had put Cameron in a trap door in the floor that none of the police found. He rushed back to General Hospital just in time for Elizabeth to tell her boys good bye and ask Jason to raise them both, together. That's when they got Diane to quickly draw up the adoption papers on Cameron. They weren't even completely filled out when Elizabeth signed the forms.

His tears mixed with hers as she bled out on the gurney. Her injuries were too far gone to risk another round of surgery. She had already been on the operation table for eight hours the day before.

He thanked God their final moments were spent telling each other how much they loved each other and how much they affected each others life. If his final memory of Elizabeth had been her screaming at him to find her baby…Well, there was no way for Jason to even finish that thought. She was so angry with him. He just left her and Cameron there. He should have gone with his instincts and kicked Sam out and taken Elizabeth and Cameron with him.

Of course, he might not have found Jake if it weren't for Sam. But still…

And Sam, he found out in the end… once again was in it for herself. She was working every angle including him, Lucky, the Russians, Jerry Jacks and Ric. When the dust settled and she chose Lucky, he knew his decision was right. She deserved Lucky. But neither deserved to ever lay eyes on Elizabeth's boys again.

When he finally found Cam, he rushed to the hospital with the two boys in tow. Elizabeth was being prepped for surgery by Epiphany and Matt. Elizabeth kissed and hugged her babies. That's when she asked Jason to make the arrangements to raise both her boys for her. She didn't want Lucky to care for them with Sam and somehow she knew her death was inevitable.

He made a lot of promises that day but the one promise he knew he would never break was that he promised to love Elizabeth forever. For there was no doubt he could keep it.

More death trickled in as the massive onslaught of the Russians hit Port Charles.

Kate had been killed. This time however, the target was Maxie. Which is what had brought the WSB in to the case. Specifically Frisco Jones.

The Russians wanted her dead because once again, Maxie Jones stuck her nose where it didn't belong and knew too much. She had stood by and listened in on an impromptu meeting. She had enough information to put the Russians away but wasn't able to positively id any of them.

But they could id her. And Cody came in with proof that the hits were set. Jason Morgan, his two kids, which the sick bastards wanted to do in front of him before killing him and one Maxie Jones. All being hunted by the Russian mafia to bring them to their death. According to Cody, Maxie's death would prevent her from identifying them, Jason's death would allow them to smoothly move their operation in to Port Charles and the two little boy's death….well that was just to fuck with the already grieving mob boss.

"Why don't you guys use your WSB connections and take her somewhere safe?" Jason asked as he looked over to Anna Devane.

"Because she'll never stay. She'll never do what we tell her to." A squeaky little voice chimed in and all eyes turned to Felicia.

"Shut up!" Maxie protested. "Why are you even here? You never cared before. Where were you when Georgie and I needed you? When Georgie died or when I needed you in high school when I got mixed up with Kyle or college after that creep took naked photos of me or when Jesse died. Maybe if you..."

"Maxie, this isn't helping sweetheart." Mac stated as he wrapped his arm around his adopted daughter. "I don't want you to go either but this is the only way. Jason can take care of you. He'll be able to protect you. And you can help Jason with the boys."

"But I don't want to leave Spinelli. I can't live without him. Please don't make me Mac." she turned on the waterworks. Jason noticed this time they seemed legitimate.

She had been crying all day. Mostly just to try to get her way but it wasn't working. He rolled his eyes at most of it but when the final plan was laid out, he thought he might use his own tears if it meant he didn't have to spend his life taking care of Maxie Jones. There was no way the two of them would be able to live together. They were polar opposites from his faded blue jeans and standard black t-shirt to her one of a kind Chanel silk pantsuit.

"Fair Maximista?" Spinelli stepped up and placed his hand on her shoulder. She immediately turned and he wrapped her in his arms. "I cannot bear to be separated from you either. My life will cease to bring me joy if I cannot lay my eyes on you each day. And I shall never meet, in all the days I roam this vast Earth, someone who could hold my heart so tightly. But the fact remains, Stone Cold can keep you safe. And if my choice is to love you from afar or mourn you up close, I choose the separation. And your life to be lived."

"Spinelli, I can't leave you. You need me. You cannot survive without me or Jason to keep you out of trouble. Besides, I'm a horrible person when I'm not with you. You make me better. You make me care about things other than myself. You keep me from ruining myself."

Her tears were real. Jason could tell. And so could Spinelli as he wiped a stream away and rubbed the wetness between his fingers. "Oh dearest blonde one, the Jackal's Master will keep you from those same fates. For he is the one who unbinds us from the debauchery we both fall in to at every turn. Besides, I have been resigned to my fates. For my only choices are to hack for the Federal One or become incarcerated by him. But if I could, my choice would always to be with you Fair Maximista."

"And Maxie, Agent Raynor has agreed there will only be three persons that will act as your liasons. "Me, Felicia and Spinelli." Mac said as he rubbed her back and smoothed down her hair.

She turned around and looked at the former enforcer. His scowl was evident. She hated that look. Though she had always known and frequently commented on the fact that Jason Morgan was an incredible looking man. She hated the way he looked at her.

As if he wanted to choke her with her designer belt.

"He hates me." She whined.

"No Maximista, Stone Cold doesn't hate you per se...He simply loathes the trouble you and I seem to find together."

"And the wrath she generates for you Spinelli. Lest we not forget…" Winnifred added, peeking out from behind a rather large and intimidating Federal Agent that had stood guard near the door while the meeting took place.

"Shut up dweeb!" Maxie shouted at the girl, interrupting her rapid blathering. She blamed Winnie for the mess they were in. At least her and Spinelli's predicament.

Spinelli would have never been hacking into government and international computers had she not been filling him with her bullshit about how he was the Zen master of cyberspace. He would have been at the Penthouse with Jason and her so Jason would have never needed the alibi. And she would not have been wandering around on the docks because Spinelli had cancelled their plans to watch America's Top Model and eat Tai food on his couch so that she could make fun of the ridiculous models.

Unfortunately, that's where she ran into the Russian lady. The one Spinelli called The Evil Slavic Natasha, which she didn't really understand because her name was really Sasha. Or he called her the Bad Blonde One which Maxie didn't like either because he used to call _**her**_ the Bad Blonde One. After overhearing her plot to plant the counterfeit drugs in one of the Zacharra warehouses and then call the feds when Sonny showed up, Maxie's PDA chirped letting her know she had another tweet from someone she was following and blew her cover wide open.

All because Agent Winnifred Leeds of the FBI was goo-goo'ing over HER Spinelli. All a scheme to trick him into being able to run a trace on his laptop and download the information the FBI needed to put Spinelli and Jason away for life. And the little twerp succeeded. She wanted to choke the life out of the little nerdy Pollyanna.

Clearing his throat, Agent Raynor spoke in low, controlling tones. He loved giving an air of supremacy in a room full of WSB agents, a DA, a City Police Commissioner and a mob presence the likes of which the east coast hadn't seen since the days of Charles "Lucky" Lucciano's crew. The FBI was unfolding quite a coo and he was the man who made it happen. There would be promotions, raises, bonuses, choice of assignments and many many commendations once the dust settled on this. And with the WSB coming in to take out what was left of the Russians, his headache was almost done.

Except this one little hitch of convincing Jason Morgan and Maxie Jones to go into hiding.

"Miss Jones, while I understand your reluctance to entrust your life to a known killer…" He paused for the dramatic and Jason rolled his eyes as well as many other persons in the room who actually _knew_ Jason. "But the fact remains, the Russian Mafia is much larger than the mob you are used to here in Port Charles. Their arms reach across the world and to remain here would only infuriate them."

"But I don't…" Maxie started but Agent Raynor cut her off.

"They don't care that you cannot finger them. They only care that you were able to get incriminating information. It's an embarrassment. The mafia doesn't sit well with being embarrassed Miss Jones. Your leaving with Mr. Morgan will ensure your safety and settle their criminal egos. Once their ruffled feathers are settled, the FBI, with _my_ leadership along with the help of the WSB will be able to dismantle their organization piece by piece. We cannot do that if we have to protect someone who could very easily disappear."

Anna, Robert and Frisco all rolled their eyes at Agent Raynor's illusion that the FBI was leading the case on the Russians OR that he was leading the investigation. But none of them spoke up because there was no point. Aside from the lesser titled agents with Raynor, everyone else in the room knew the real deal. Frisco himself had been working in Slovenia for the past five years and was moving up in the Russian Mob. He got word of the trouble in Port Charles only because his boss wanted him to come to check out the damage done to their organization by the Zacharra and the Corinthos Organizations.

Imagine his surprise to find his oldest daughter in the thick of it all.

"Well…_**If**_ I were to agree to this…I refuse to let **her** be one of the people Jason and I meet up with on occasion. She never wanted to be part of my life before, why should I let her now." Maxie spit at her mother as she pointed her out to the crowd in the large conference room at the PCPD.

Frisco was brought in handcuffs as well as Jason, Spinelli, Max and Cody. Diane was creating the ruse in the precinct as if she was ringing necks to release her clients and Mac had left the interrogation room to announce very loudly that he needed a Russian Interpreter. Which gave way for Anna to enter. The rest of the rooms occupants had already been squired into the private room.

"Fine, who should it be then Maxie?" Agent Raynor asked, clasping his hands behind his back ready to say no to the silly girl's request.

"Let me see…" Maxie tapped her perfectly manicured index finger with the Cotton Candy pink polish on it to her chin as she looked around the room.

First her eyes settled on Robin but the sleeping infant in her arms told her that wasn't a good idea. Then she quickly scanned past Jason's mob Lieutenants and the FBI agents. She even jerked her head and scoffed rolling her eyes when they landed on Winnifred who looked actually hopeful that it would be her. She scanned Lucky, taking an appreciative scroll down his perfectly cut physique and immediately dismissed it because she knew Jason hated him. Plus he was dumb as a box of rocks. Sam was no better because she had proven how disloyal she was and again, Jason didn't particularly care for her. Especially after her behavior when Elizabeth died.

Who hits on a grieving man?

She twirled as she eyed every person in the room when finally her eyes landed on Jason. She could see the sheer panic in his eyes. That look alone made up her mind for her.

Had the woman not been dragged in by her daughter to attend the meeting, she would not have even been a blip on Maxie's radar but when Maxie announced that she wanted Bobbie Spencer to be the third liason, the room all gave a collective gasp.

"I'm afraid that's not possible Miss Jones. You'll need to choose an officer of the court or of one of the federal or international agents."

"Nope, Bobbie's my choice. What better ruse than a woman who's a nurse, who could easily be Cameron and Jake's grandmother and my mother. I mean technically, she is _kind-of_ my mother since I have BJ's heart and she was my Aunt when she was married to Uncle Tony. She gets a vacation a couple of times a year on the government's dime and besides, she knows Jason really well. I remember how close they were when Michael was born and she and I get along really well. It's the perfect choice." She smoothed her hands down her fitted lavender suit jacket and tugged at the thick tan belt that matched her shoes and clutch. "Besides, who else out of this bunch, besides Carly, would keep me filled in on all the dirt that's happening back here in Port Charles. It's perfect."

"Maxie" Bobbie drawled as she stood and crossed the room. "I don't think the intention is to have some nurse play your mother and come visit to talk gossip. I think they want some form of agent to be able to handle any situations you and Jason may run in to. And while I adore Elizabeth's children and already feel like their Aunt since Lucky is my nephew, I don't think Monica…"

"NO, it's a good idea. I want Bobbie too. Besides, I don't want Monica to be associated with me any more than she is. Her's and the rest of the Quartermaine's safety is something I want a guarantee of Raynor or I don't do this. I have to know my family is safe back here. Her and Carly and the boys" Jason quickly interjected. He looked over at his mother who his estranged relationship had actually mended somewhat. Then he turned smiling at the woman who literally taught him how to hold a baby, feed a baby, change a baby and love a baby. A woman who he hit on when he first woke up in the hospital so many years ago but had some way or another always been a mother figure in his life ever since.

He missed the sadness on Carly, Monica, Robin and Sam's faces when his decision was agreed to.

"Then it's settled. You two will leave tonight and travel for the next year, changing identities and courses along the way. Then you'll settle somewhere for a few years as a happy family who's oldest child is starting school. You'll live as a happy family for a minimum of five years and then separate. By then the Russians will no longer be looking for any of you." Robert Scorpio announced in his charming Australian accent. "But remember Maxie, you can never go home. You can't call or write or email. Wherever you land, that's home for you."

"Yes darling, at least you'll be able to see Mac and Spinelli and Bobbie. We'll all keep in touch through them. You'll see, it'll be an adventure." Anna added with the British drawl Maxie had so many times tried to mimic. It always made Anna seem so glamorous.

After hugs for Maxie and Jason, the room emptied out except for the necessary people. Agent Raynor, Anna, Robert and Frisco all left to begin the ruse of Frisco and Jason escaping custody. Carly, Lucky, Alexis, Sam, Robin and Monica all went their separate ways and the room was left with Jason, Maxie, Mac, Spinelli and Bobbie.

"Well, I guess this is it." Mac started, tears welling in his blue eyes.

"The boys are already in the truck?" Jason asked looking out the one way glass to see Carly being consoled by of all people, Monica.

"Yes Stone Cold. Patrick and Nadine are saying goodbye to them now. Nadine packed all of their things that they'll need or want." Spinelli responded.

Jason nodded and looked around the room, suddenly feeling an overwhelming case of claustrophobia.

Agent Raynor walked back into the room, a smile from ear to ear on his face. "Here's your phone. The only numbers programmed in to it are Mac Scorpio, Agent Spinelli and me. It's a satellite phone so it will work anywhere in the world. And the FBI will track and record every call made from of to it so don't do anything stupid."

He handed the phone over to Jason who stood stone still, his usual stoic unreadable self. "And here's your first set of documents."

Jason looked through the papers and smiled at the fact that for their first leg of the trip, she would be Maxine Morganson and he would be Jason Jonas. The FBI weren't very original but then, they agreed that they would have to remain Maxie and Jason because of Cameron.

"Here are the keys to the SUV. It's equipped with all the latest equipment and there's a laptop for your interaction with Agent Spinelli." Raynor kept going, handing Jason a set of keys to the champagne colored Lincoln Navigator the FBI had provided.

"My gun?" Jason said holding his hand out to Mac who pulled it from his back where he had stowed it in his waistband.

Jason checked the gun's clip then clicked it into place. "Spinelli?"

Jason didn't need to finish. Damien knew exactly what Jason was asking and Spinelli had followed the instructions to the letter. He gave a quick, barely perceptible nod to his mentor and Jason did the same. Spinelli had scanned and loaded everything Jason would want on the laptop. Pictures of the boys with Elizabeth. Pictures of Carly and the boys. Everything from what Spinelli called Jason's Box-O-Pain as well as information on where Bernie had moved his offshore accounts and how to access them.

The FBI didn't need to know about all of that. He'd coast on their dime for now.

Seeing Raynor eyeing them suspiciously, Jason shrugged. "I knew you wouldn't give me ammunition so I had Spinelli pack my other three guns, my shotgun case and also plenty of ammunition for each to take out a small village." It wasn't exactly a lie but it wasn't necessarily the whole truth either.

With that Jason moved toward the door but Mac's voice stopped him.

"Jason?" He let go of his crying daughter and moved to the man who had one way or another been involved in his family for years. "I know that Maxie can be high strung. And she can get herself into some ridiculous situations but I want you to promise me…"

He turned and looked at his daughter, finally the tear letting loose and rushing down his tanned face. He turned back and watched as Jason's features softened to the emotion seen on Mac's face, "Promise me that you'll always look out for her. Care for her and protect her as if she was the most important person in the world because to some of us…she is."

Jason stuck out his hand and shook Mac's. "I promise."

And he turned and walked down the blocked off hallway to change into the disguise he would wear to drive away from Port Charles, his kids in tow and a crazy blonde at his side. In plain sight.

~%~%~%~%~%~

Jason had been driving all night. He appreciated the fact that Spinelli made sure there was always a Harley waiting for him when they were to stop for a few days. It was his only escape. His way to lose himself in his memories. To remember her laughter on the back of his bike. Her explaining the wind to him. How the stars were so close after a ride. Just remembering her.

He always felt better after a ride. He would stop somewhere, usually trying to find some sort of overlook or stone bridge or a dock somewhere. He would talk out loud to her spirit for hours. Telling her what the boys had been doing. New things Jake had learned.

He was so excited the day Jake finally called him Daddy. He and Maxie had been working on the twenty month old for weeks before he finally said it. It was hard with Cameron calling him Jason but for some reason, it was really important to Jason. He couldn't explain it to Maxie when she asked but he just wanted it. Now, almost a year later, the little boy talked up a storm.

He pulled up to the seaside motel and immediatly noticed the large moving van that was parked. That was their life. Everything they owned plus a lot of stuff they didn't own was packed into that moving van. It was the first part of the new life they would be starting the next day. The start of his new forever.

He sighed as he lifted his leg off the motorcycle. That would be gone tomorrow. Maybe he could find a fixer upper and be able to tinker with it in their new garage. At least in a few months he'd be able to ride a motorcycle again. Hopefully.

They had to make the appearance of a young couple. The house was to be under a thirty year mortgage. At least according to the neighbors and the county tax records. The boutique Maxie had wanted was to be purchased with her inheritance. The youngest grandchild of a stock market mogul. Her fifty thousand dollar inheritance spent entirely on the new high end fashion boutique.

Jason was to find a job, it didn't really matter doing what. He had requested to open a motorcycle shop but the feds shot his idea down saying it was too similar to when he tried to get out of the mob the last time.

Cameron would start school in the fall. Kindergarten in a public school. Largo had the best public school system in the Tampa area which was why Spinelli located them there. Their neighborhood was filled with retired middle class and young families. The homes were old but a renaissance renovation was sweeping through that area of the city. And important to everyone, a huge park with ponds, the city fire and police department and the beach were all very close.

And of course shopping. A mall was within five miles.

He opened the door to the room the boys were staying in and smiled. Ever since they started on this journey, the boys had acclimated themselves to whatever they were thrown in to. But the one common thread was the two stuffed animals. The Chuggin Charlie stuffed pillow that Cameron always had to sleep with and the small stuffed gorilla Jake wouldn't sleep without. A stuffed gorilla that had anonymously appeared in his hospital cradle. The one Jason had bought the day Elizabeth told him he could possibly be the father of her unborn baby that October over three years ago.

He stepped in to the room and silently closed the door. He removed his boots and stowed them under the small round table so no one would trip on them. He pulled his jacket from his shoulders and draped it over the back of a chair. He pulled his gun from his waistband and moved across the room to the gun box that was always put up high, away from the children. After locking the gun away, he brushed his teeth, put on a pair of pajama bottoms and a tank top. He pulled a pillow from the shelf and moved toward the bed.

He tucked the boys in and moved the book that had been being read. He leaned in and kissed the top of Cameron's brown curly head and then Jake's near white blond stick straight locks, just like Jason's when he was a baby according to Monica. Then he pulled the covers up over the sleeping woman.

Suddenly blue eyes met blue eyes and the woman's arms tightened over the two boys.

"I'm sorry I woke you." Jason whispered as he moved to sit down in the chair next to the king sized bed.

He pulled the pillow behind his head to rest against the wall and unfolded and draped the sheet he had found on the same shelf as the pillow over his legs. And he watched, like he had so many nights over the past year, while Maxie, Cameron and Jacob slept.

~%~%~%~%~%~

"I don't want that ugly thing in my house." Maxie yelled across the side yard where Jason, Mac, who was dressed as a mover and had actually driven the semi-truck up to the new one story house, and Spinelli were all carrying Jason's favorite old leather couch.

"Tough, I'm not getting rid of it." Jason threw over his shoulder as he carted it in through the side sliding glass doors.

A few minutes later, "And where do you think you are going to put _that_?"

"I was actually thinking about your room. There's your half of the garage that _**you**_ can sleep in." Jason grunted as he carted his end of the pool table off the truck with Spinelli and Mac on the other side.

Twenty minutes later, "You don't need all of these clothes Maxie!"

"Oh yes I do and don't think I won't know if one of the racks goes missing Jason. Oh and I'll need your closet as well as the hall closet. Besides you don't really need it. You can just fold your five pair of jeans and ten black t-shirts and put them in your dresser."

"You're not using my closet Maxie!"

"Wanna bet?" she huffed and turned on her heel and walked back out to the driveway where she was bringing in the stuff they had in the travel carrier and back end of the SUV. She had already emptied the car.

Now they were in a Chevy Avalanche. It was half truck, half SUV and was loaded to the gills with everything off of the boat. Yet another thing awaiting them at the attorney's office that morning.

The paperwork for the house was set up in Jason's name only. The boutique for Maxie. The truck being something they would tell curious neighbors was something he purchased along with the large down payment for the house with part of the life insurance policy when Jason's wife died. The rest of the policy set up for the boys college funds.

Maxie's inheritance from their grandfather who died in the same car accident as her sister six months ago bought Maxie the boutique in the rich tourist area of Indian Rocks Beach which was just ten miles to the west and the little Toyota Solara convertible was her college graduation present last year from her parents.

The two collided in the doorway and Mac decided he'd better step in before they were nose to nose again. They had already fought three times that day. Once at the lawyer's office, once when they first got to the house and then again when Jason told her to go get them all some Gatorade and she wouldn't budge until he said Pretty Please.

And of course Jason was so stubborn by the time he finally figured out that she WAS going to win this argument, she had changed it to Pretty Please with a Cherry on Top and the former enforcer felt utterly absurd repeating such a saying. Especially since they were now the neighborhood attraction.

"Miss Webster?" Mac used her new name. Since she was now to be the aunt and not the wife they decided Webber was too dangerous to use so they changed Maxie and Cameron's papers to reflect the change. Jason and Jacob were still Jason Johnson and Jacob Martin Johnson respectively.

"Yes Da…Mac? You did say your name was Mac right?"

"Yes ma'am. Do you think maybe I could get something to eat ma'am? I haven't eaten all day and it's nearly three o'clock. My blood sugar is getting rather low." He said looking across the alleyway at the older couple sitting on their swing in their back yard.

"Wha…" she looked over to where the older couple, her new neighbors, were and then back at her father who gave her a little wink and a smile. "Oh, well…I haven't gone to the grocery store yet. I…I guess I could order a pizza."

She furrowed her brows in confusion, not sure what Mac really wanted her to do.

"Well I was thinking that maybe Jason and I could finish unloading the truck and you and your friend from college over there could go to the grocery store. I'll give you some money if you could just pick me up maybe some lunch meat and a loaf of bread. Maybe a bag of chips for me too. By the time you get back, we should be unloaded. Then I could eat up some before I hit the road."

"Oh…okay." She was unable to hide the sadness in her voice but then Jason walked by her carrying a load of her favorite dresses all bunched up in his arms as if wrinkles were the new IT look. "JASON!"

"Go to the dang store Maxie. Just get out of my face for five friggin minutes!" Jason growled back loud enough that the neighbors didn't need to try too hard to hear.

"I don't even know where the stupid grocery store is you Neanderthal!" she spat back.

Just then the older portly woman from across the alley started shouting "Yoo Hoo!" and waving her hand at them. The older man slowly got up from the swing and started following his wife.

Jason and Maxie both walked over to their chain link fence and Spinelli and Mac stopped unloading the last of the stuff on the truck to watch.

"Hi there. I'm Denny Watson and back there is my husband Dale. We're your new neighbors." She said as she huffed walking the fifty yards from her swing that hung from the huge oak tree that completely shaded their big back yard.

The woman could be no more than five foot tall and was round from head to toe. Her hair was salt and pepper gray and if Jason had to guess, he would have put her in her early sixties.

Her husband, a little older than his wife by maybe three or four years with darkly tanned and weathered skin from many, many years in the sun meandered up beside his wife and stuck his hand out to Jason. "Hi, I'm Dale. I see you bought the old Green place. I didn't think this place would ever sell after that guy came in and flipped it. It's been empty for nearly a year."

"Flipped it?" Maxie asked and Jason groaned.

"Flipped it means they buy the place and then renovate it then sell it at a profit."

"You mean the Greens never lived here?" Maxie asked looking over at the older woman.

"Oh no, the Greens lived here forever. It started out as Old Lady Green's place but then when she got sick and went to the nursing home, her grandson and his family moved in. Gosh Dale what, that had to be over twenty years ago. Their kids just both graduated college over the past couple of years and Bob and Penny decided they wanted to live in a condo so they didn't have to keep up the chores that come with owning the house." The lady who called herself Denny responded.

"Oh. Well the house is really pretty. I love the hardwood floors and the stainless steel appliances and fixtures throughout." Maxie said, not really sure if that sounded appropriate but it was the first thing Mac said when he walked in so she figured it was safe.

"Yeah, they put a new roof on the house and the garage as well. You might want to get up there and inspect the shingles though. None of them roofers could speak a word of English and I kept telling them that down here in hurricane country, they needed to use the thirty year shingles." The gray haired man said.

"Well thanks for the heads up. By the way, I'm Jason Johnson and this is Maxie Webster." Jason said as he wiped his sweating brow with the rag that was stuck in his back pocket.

Maxie and Jason both saw the look of disappointment cross over the two elders face and then he realized what they must be thinking. "She's my sister-in-law. My wife died in a car crash a little over six months ago and I decided to move me and the boys down here to get away from it all. Maxie lives with us to help me out with them."

"Oh" the woman said. "Your boys…they're what, five and two?"

"Yes, how did you guess?" Maxie was astonished.

"I'm a first grade teacher. Have been for thirty two years now." She announced.

"No, you were a first grade teacher. Now you are retired, just like your old man." Dale said wrapping an arm over his wife's shoulders and tugging on her then letting her go.

"And we have six grandchildren ranging in age from twenty-six to fourteen." She announced proudly. "As a matter of fact, my grandson Robert is single and just got back from Afghanistan…"

"Denny, don't try to fix the new neighbor up with our Grandson so fast. They haven't even moved in yet."

He turned to Jason and smirked. "Women."

Maxie and Denny rolled their eyes as Jason and Dale chuckled.

They all stood and stared at each other for a few minutes then all started feeling a little uncomfortable with the silence.

"Well, the real reason I came over…I wasn't eavesdropping or anything but I did hear you tell your husb…brother-in-law that you didn't know where the grocery store was. I was just telling Dale I needed to run to the store to pick up a few things. You are more than welcome to go with me if you want. And the kids. I'd love to meet them."

Maxie looked over at Jason who clearly was uneasy with the suggestion. "I…I don't know. Maybe I could follow you in my car so that I know how to drive there myself next time."

"Sure, that would be fine. Why don't you load up your kids and I'll just go and get my pocketbook and cell phone. I'll ride with you. No sense in taking two cars. Go green and all that crazy stuff my granddaughter tells me."

Again Maxie looked to Jason and he shrugged. "You don't have to take the boys. They are fine here with me." Jason added.

Maxie narrowed her eyes and huffed. He didn't' care if the old lady attacked her. He just cared about the boys safety. "No, the boys can come with me. That way I can let them pick out what cereal and cookies and stuff they want."

Hesitantly Jason agreed and he and Dale slung their arms over the fence watching as Maxie and Denny walked off to ready themselves to go.

"Your sister and you fight a lot." Dale said hesitantly.

"Yeah, she's a real pain in the ass. But she loves my boys and they love her and that's all that really matters right?"

"She seems a little high maintenance." The older man concluded.

"Tell me something I don't know. She has more clothes and shoes than I've ever owned in my life. And I swear some of her shoes cost as much as my first car." Jason said easily watching as Mac and Spinelli went back to unloading the truck. He noticed they were pulling Cameron's train bed out and smiled knowing they had just hit the back of the truck so they were almost done.

"I noticed you unloaded a pool table." Dale said.

"Yeah, one of my only vices. A cold beer and my pool table. I'm a home body so I got that to entertain me."

"Yep, bought one myself. I don't have it anymore but it was what brought me home after work for many years when the girls were growing up. You any good?"

"I can hold my own." Jason said smiling at his new neighbor.

"Hmmm, maybe you'll invite me over some time to play." Dale said and then turned when he heard his wife call out to him from their opened window. "Well, I better go see what she needs."

"Well it's good to meet you Mr. Watson. And once we get all moved in and unpacked, you'll be my first challenger on the table." Jason said and turned to walk over to the truck to help pull the last of the stuff from it so that Maxie could drive it to the store with the man's wife.

The couple seemed genuine and nice. And in no way seemed like anything more than they were. An old retired couple that lived next door. The wife was a bit nosey and the husband was laid back and put up with her antics because he loved her. Exactly what he hoped for.

But he'd have Spinelli run a check on them anyway. Just to be safe.


	3. Chapter 2

A/N: I love smut. I want to say that first and foremost. And I've written some pretty good smut for Liason in the past (if I do say so myself). However, Spixie smut…it is very hard to comprehend because I just do not see Damien Spinelli as sexy. But I shall try. If only for **musicannlovely** because she's a Spixie fan…here's some Spixie Smut plus more Jaxie bickering and the humor that goes with it (which I always find when Jason and Maxie are arguing on screen or in my head) and some more background but not much because most has been spelled out…for now.

Oh and anyone getting the alerts that thought you got two updates then looked and saw the same two chapters…I deleted then re-posted the chapters so that their chapter titles were the same as mine. It's a thing. Sorry if I disappointed anyone.

**Chapter 2**

"I thought Mac would never leave." Maxie said pushing Spinelli down onto her bed.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about the Law Abiding One's immanent arrival Maximista, I thought it could be a little surprise for you. I expected his appearance this morning. Last nights emergence was a shock to the Jackal as well." Spinelli said tugging at Maxie's royal blue peasant blouse, hissing as his fingertips felt the cool, smooth skin of her stomach.

Maxie promptly batted his hands away from her. She enjoyed sex with Spinelli, but mostly because she could dominate him and be the aggressor as well as control the whole experience. For some reason, that just turned her on. Plus there were usually perks that came with the sex.

And honestly, if it weren't for that, plus the fact that for a man whose physique was not quite up to par he was very well endowed, she would probably not give him the time of day. Except as friends of course. But for now, they remained friends with benefits as they had for the past year while she had been traveling. It worked for the time being. Besides, he had great stamina. Another perk to the benefit.

"Well, I think we surprised Mac instead." She slowly pulled his sketchers off of his feet and removed the tube socks that were white with two tacky wide green stripes. "I thought he was going to kill you last night when he pulled up and caught us on that bench."

"The Gods were protecting the Jackal in the form of Agent Leeds. Had she not been so forlorn and in need of the cellular reassurances that the littlest Stone Cold was only testing her patience, The Paternal one would have caught me and the Fair Maximista in flagrante."

"I know…" She said reaching for his cargo shorts and unsnapping the button then tugging down the zipper. "Thank God you thought to shove my panties in your pocket. Although, you know…bench sex sounds like a lot of fun. Maybe tonight we can go back there…or…I saw a park down the street."

"Were that I could but our time now is fleeting for I must take flight soon to return to my government hacking job in our Nation's Capital." Spinelli reached again for Maxie but she batted his hands away when she lowered her mouth onto his erect cock and darted her tongue to the tip to lick at the precum before sliding her tongue down the underside of his shaft and then sucked hard on the vein at the base before sliding her tongue back up placing a sweet kiss to the sensitive tip.

"OH GOD!" Spinelli shouted as her lips surrounded his manhood and swallowed him whole.

Sex with Maxie, albeit not his first time ever, was certainly his only experience that was truly erotic. His first sexual encounter with the Evil Nurse was over before it started, in more ways than one. However, with Maxie, she took her time. She taught him things and was patient with him. She instructed him in the ways to please her and in turn, reciprocated the pleasure ten-fold.

Though he knew that to her the love was not the same, he wondered if their encounters would be enough. Aside from the two times they had sex before she and Jason took off with the boys, they had rendezvoused four other times, this being the fifth so the seventh sexual encounter with her. For someone who had only had sex eight times, you counted the occurrences and the days between them. And each time made the wait until the next time that much more unbearable.

He already planned to make appearances as often as possible. He feared that settling in one spot was going to send Maxie back to her endless struggle with sex and men. She never quite understood how detrimental her use of sex and her body as either a weapon or a bargaining tool was to her emotional state. But Spinelli saw it all. He saw how every time it ripped another chunk from her soul and replaced it with another link in the chain surrounding her heart.

At the time of the Russian Invasion, as he and Winnie called it, Maxie had been sneaking off with Johnny Zacharra. She even told Spinelli and made him promise as her best friend for life that he would keep her secret. And he did.

Kate had been paying Johnny to escort Maxie to premieres, grand openings and high end parties for the magazine. The couple was a hit in public but what those behind the scenes didn't know was that it was affecting Johnny and Maxie to the point of having regular romps in the limo, in varied hotel rooms and even once in an abandoned garage.

Maxie didn't love Johnny, and Johnny certainly DID love Lulu but the chemistry between the two was combustible. Yet Spinelli knew that on both active participants part, it was just a destructive action. One to seemingly pay penance for the life Johnny was born in to. Unable to accept happiness and true love. And for Maxie it was a means to destroy any close relationship. Never feeling deserving of a truly meaningful relationship with a friend or lover. For some reason feeling that her borrowed heart could never be used to find true love.

So every time Kate forced the two to make an appearance somewhere, Spinelli dug his head in the sand or commiserated over a bag of BBQ chips and orange soda until Jason found a distraction or talked him off the ledge, so to speak.

Even this afternoon, Jason informed him that Maxie had played him but Spinelli didn't care. He would give Maxie anything in order to experience the bliss he was currently experiencing. He was glad to set up an account for her at the Day Spa that was located next to the local Publix grocery store she had shopped at with the boys and the neighbor. Surely she couldn't charge too much to his credit card on a monthly basis.

Only Jason knew that he had given her his personal credit card instead of an agency credit card. Maxie thought the government was paying for her waxes, mud baths and manicures as a way to compensate her for being put in the predicament she was in. However, what she didn't know would never hurt her and he hoped and prayed to always be the only one who benefitted from her body's maintenance.

Watching her strip for him and seeing her freshly Brazilian waxed strip of curls was worth the one hundred dollars that were charged to his card that day alone.

He was sitting up with his back against the headboard of her unmade bed. His toes still curled from the hard orgasm he experienced when she sucked him off so hard that it left marks of discoloration. The final straw being when she sucked one ball into her mouth and then feeling the impending orgasm welling, impaled her mouth onto his dick so hard that he heard her gag. The pressure of the tip of his dick hitting the back of her throat was so powerful his cum filled her mouth and overflowed her lips, dribbling down her chin.

Thank God for his stamina because seeing that got him instantly hard again. His little minx was giving him a little dance and peep show now as she undressed before him. His life had never been so full of bliss. And somehow, he would figure out a way to keep her his. He hoped.

He got her away from Port Charles and Johnny Zacharra by suggesting she accompany Jason into a semi formal hiding. Now he just needed to convince the Agency that he could do his job from the Tampa office. So far the answer had been unequivacably NO.

But he'd keep trying if it meant spending his life with Maxie.

Climbing across the bed Maxie tugged at her lover's hands to pull him on top of her. She wanted it rough and upside down, half off the bed was a position that always ensured that Spinelli could fill her entirely.

~%~%~%~%~

An hour later, Maxie headed toward the kitchen to get a glass of water and maybe scrounge up a bite to eat. The sex had been great, as she expected but now Spinelli needed to shower to head for the airport. His promise to come back as soon as he could placated her for now but she knew that it wasn't enough.

But there was also no reason to tell the man who treated her like a goddess.

She'd just keep that to herself, for now.

"You're going to hurt him, you know." Came a low timbered voice from behind her and she turned around to see Jason standing in the doorway to the kitchen from the back of the house. His arms were crossed over his large, muscular chest and he was leaning against the room's opening with his legs crossed at the ankles.

"You don't know what you are talking about." She defended darting her eyes to any spot in the room other than his eyes.

He sighed as he pulled himself from the doorway and walked toward the refrigerator where Maxie had just put the ice tray that she emptied back into the freezer. He pulled it out and walked over to the sink, filled it and returned it without a word. He checked the automatic ice maker, which they had emptied into Mac's ice chest earlier before he left for his long trek to Texas where he would ditch the truck, rent a car to Nashville then hop a plane back in to the city of Port Charles. The bucket was slowly filling back up again so they wouldn't need the ice trays much longer.

"He's in love with you and you're just using him." He stated evenly.

He then opened the refrigerator section to pull a Yuengling Lager from it and twisted off the top. He turned and snapped the cap between his thumb and forefinger smiling at himself when his aim hit the trash can perfectly. And also whizzed past Maxie's ear within inches.

"Do you have to do that?" She huffed, louder than she intended.

"Shhh, you'll wake the boys." He admonished and she truly looked sorry for her outburst.

She pulled out a chair from their new kitchen table. One she would have never picked out but she figured eventually she could replace all the crap furniture they loaded into the house that day with some eclectic modern stuff that would more suit her tastes.

"Did they have a hard time going down?" she asked looking up into the deep light blue pools of Jason's eyes.

"Cameron went right to sleep. He's missed his train bed badly. He wouldn't stop talking about it but once he was tucked in…I didn't even have to read to him." Jason pulled out the seat opposite Maxie and sat down. He stared at the bottle in his hands as he spun it lightly on the table. "Jake wasn't so easy."

He looked up and held Maxie's gaze for a moment. "You know, he's too big for a crib now. We need to go get him his own bed tomorrow."

"I can't believe it's been a year." She said looking away when she couldn't stomach the pained look on his face.

Sure it had been a year since they had been on the road, constantly in motion. But it had also been a year since Elizabeth died. And even though the kids were truly adjusting-Cameron had stopped asking so many questions and Jake's nightmares had stopped months ago-Jason had never recovered.

"Sorry" she whispered and went to stand.

Jason stopped her with his hand and held her hand to the table. "It's okay Maxie."

She eased back down into her chair and took a long sip of her water. "I should have helped you tonight with the boys. They always go to sleep easier when I help you."

Jason grunted at that comment. He didn't want to but he resented that his own sons, especially Jake, took to Maxie so easily. He constantly wondered if Elizabeth was rolling over in her grave knowing that Maxie Jones was her sons' main care giver aside from Jason. And would be for years to come.

"Well Jake would have had an easier time going to sleep if you hadn't been panting and screaming in the next room. Really Maxie, if that's what my son is going to be subjected to, you and I are going to have to switch rooms." Jason said then took a long pull from his beer and tossed the empty bottle across the room, smiling again when it hit the trashcan with barely a sound.

"You just wish it had been you!" She touted and then stood setting her glass next to the sink.

"NO, I don't." He quickly replied as he left the kitchen without another word.

~%~%~%~%~%~

Maxie couldn't sleep.

Partly she was so angry at Jason for his attitude and demeaning way that he treated her. She may be younger but she was an adult. She didn't need him to tell her what she should and should not do with Spinelli.

He judged her for being with Spinelli sexually. He judged her for caring about clothes and shoes and fashion, all of which he complained were superficial. He judged her for the things she liked, she disliked, cared about or could have given a rats ass about. He judged her for everything.

And she resented him for it.

Slowly getting up, she looked over at the clock and sighed. It was four am. Jacob would get up in an hour. As usual. The kids internal clock never failed to chime at five am. Regardless of what continent they were on or what time zone they were in, Jacob Martin was ready for bed at nine and up at five.

She pulled her matching silk robe over her champagne colored negligee she found in her dresser. She hadn't worn the silk items in over a year and the feel of it on her skin was delicious.

Tying the tie around her waist she pulled her door open, peeked in both doors down the right of the hall, seeing both boys still asleep. Her feet felt good on the new Berber carpet that led to the living room. She turned left to head toward the kitchen when she noticed through the patio, Jason sitting up in his chair in his bedroom. The sliding glass curtain open and the moonlight shining into the makeshift bedroom. He had the computer open and sitting on the desk in from of him but she couldn't see what he was looking at.

She didn't need to.

Over the past year, any time she would catch him up in the middle of the night he was looking at the same thing.

Pictures of Elizabeth.

~%~%~%~%~%~

"**AHHHHHHHHH"**

The shrill scream coming from Maxie made Jason drop the water hose and take off in a sprint from the driveway to the back yard where he knew Maxie and the boys were. He rounded the side of the house searching out the danger but finding none.

What he did find was Jake standing up in the kiddie pool they had bought the week before, one hand holding his toy boat. Cameron was head to toe sand and sitting in the sand box he had built two weeks ago for the boys. The curly headed pre-schooler was looking up at the new wooden play gym that Jason had installed the week after they moved in.

On top of the wooden play set was Maxie, screaming at the top of her lungs and pointing at the outdoor lounge set she insisted they needed for their backyard so that she could sun herself while the boys were out back playing.

The only problem was that she hated the look of a natural tan and complained that the suns rays would simply prematurely age her skin. So he had to buy the additional covers and umbrellas that came with the overpriced furniture set. Jason would have been fine with the two ten dollar plastic chairs at the discount store they bought the kiddie pool at but Maxie found the "perfect" furniture for the back yard and Jason didn't have the patience that day to argue with her any more than they already had. So sixty five hundred dollars later, they left with the Tuscany Collection. The cast iron furniture came with a table with a huge umbrella and six chairs, a love seat and two loungers with side tables that also held large umbrellas and a fire pit table. The dining and pit table were accented with a tan marble and all of the furniture had custom cushions that were navy blue, light blue and white stripes that Maxie was able to pick out from a selection of fabrics. She said it would perfectly accent the tan stucco house. She also chose the additional pieces of a bar cart and a towel rack. It was over priced, it was heavy and Jason had to buy a special shed to store the cushions in every night.

And she loved it.

"What's going on?" Jason yelled as he stopped and bent over to catch his breath.

Not because he was winded but because instantly, when he heard her scream, the worst case scenario came to mind and he was scared out of his mind at the possibilities of what her scream meant.

"I don't know Daddy." Jake said looking up at his father who was bent over next to him. "Maxie scweamed and wan up the swide and kept scweaming."

Jason looked into a mirror image of his own bright blue eyes and smiled. Jake's vocabulary had gotten so vast but hard as he and Maxie tried, the nearly three year old could not conquer his L's and R's yet.

"Maxie…" Jason picked up Jake and walked over next to the sand box to stand next to his oldest son. "Why are you standing up there screaming like an idiot?"

"I think she lost her marbles Jason." Cameron shrugged.

Jason couldn't help it, he laughed out loud. "Cam where did you hear that expression?"

"From Mr. Dale. He said Ms. Denny lost her marbles. I asked him why they couldn't just go to the toy store to buy her some more but he said that when ladies act crazy it's because they lose their marbles."

Jason stared wide eyed but then patted Cameron on the head and nodded his agreement. "Mr. Watson is a very smart man huh?"

"Yep! I like him. And Mrs. Watson…she may not have her marbles but she knows all the cool songs and games. We played Simon Says yesterday. Jake lost but then we played Chutes and Ladders and she's teaching us a song about mushrooms. But I'm not very good at it. It goes really fast."

In the two months they had been there, the boys had really taken to the neighbors. The older couple doted over them, commenting on how all their grandchildren were too grown up for their grandparents so the boys were a breath of fresh air for them.

'_I need to invite Dale over for that game of pool soon.'_ Jason thought as he listened to his son ramble about the things he and Jake did that morning when the neighbors babysat them while Maxie went to have her weekly manicure and pedicure and whatever else she charged to Spinelli's credit card that day and Jason went to the grocery store to purchase the weeks groceries for the house.

The boys were always over at the older couple's house. Once Spinelli came back with a clean record for each and confirmed their story of being from Pennsylvania then moving to Florida where her parents had moved and their thirty plus year careers working as a first grade teacher and a heavy equipment operator for the county, Jason relaxed. He enjoyed the husbands fence line chats and the limitless tools the man had in his own garage. And the wife, though a little nutty, was great with the kids and as nice as could be. The boys adored her and her husband. Even Maxie liked them, saying they reminded her of the All American grandparents she wished she had grown up with.

Finally, Jason heard Maxie huffing loudly for his attention so he put Jake down and walked over to the gym set and looked up, shielding his eyes from the burning mid-day sun. "What's the problem Maxie?"

"There was a bug…a HUGE bug that jumped out of that tree and landed on my leg." She whimpered as she pointed to one of the palm trees they had in the back yard.

"Was it dark brown, had two antennae and most likely six legs and was about two inches long?" He asked looking back over where she pointed and then back at her.

"I don't know Jason, I didn't take a picture of the thing." She huffed again.

"Well what did you do?" he asked, already knowing the answer but having a little fun of his own.

"I ran you idiot, what did you _think_ I did?" She squatted down and stuck her hand out for Jason to help her down from the second story of the play set.

Jason looked at her hand, then looked back up at her and raised one eyebrow then rolled his eyes and walked over toward the lounge chair she was obviously sitting in with the towel draped over it. Not even considering helping her down.

"It was a palmetto bug Maxie. You know, the bugs that live in palm trees. The ones that are native to this area of the country and the tropics."

"What's a palmetto bug?" Cameron asked looking up at his father.

"It's a giant cockroach." Jason stated plainly and them smiled inwardly as he heard Maxie gasp.

"I'm not living where there are giant attack cockroaches." Maxie announced as she was helping herself down from the platform.

"Too bad. You chose our location. You're stuck with all that comes with it." He looked back at her as she stomped over toward him and the boys.

"And by the way…"

Just then, another palmetto bug came flying out of the palm tree and flew past all of them to land on the kiddie pool. Maxie screamed again and ran, leaping up on Jason's back burying her head into Jason's shoulder while Cameron laughed and jumped and clapped and Jacob ran over to his new kiddie pool to try to catch the giant creature.

"They fly!" He said and then promptly dropped her on her ass into her seven hundred dollar lounger and headed back around the side of the house where he could finish watching the truck and the car before the sun went down.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Another month had gone by and it was fast approaching Jacob's third birthday on Tuesday. And since last July when Cameron turned five and the recent Christmas holiday had been spent moving around or on a boat, Jason and Maxie had agreed that this would be a combined birthday party for both. They were pulling out all the stops.

They didn't really know anyone except the high school student Maxie had hired to work at her newly opened boutique in the afternoons. Then there were the Watson's. Of course with the neighbors, happily came their extended family and friends. So in order to get to know many of their neighbors and hopefully add to the very small group the boys could call friends, they planned a big bar-b-que on Saturday. There were at least twenty people expected.

As Dale had told Jason on several occasions, Denny had never met a stranger. Jason was starting to worry that Denny was teaching Maxie that theory. But then Maxie had her own ways of getting strangers to notice and pay attention to her. He'd seen the local high school boys hanging around the house when they didn't know he was there. Then again, the neighborhood Mommy Brigade had spent a few days knocking on his door to see if he needed to borrow their sugar as well.

Dale had introduced him to his old boss with Pinellas County and Jason was now working as a heavy equipment operator with the city's Parks and Recreation department. Raynor had arranged for him to have a sterling resume and references from Arizona, where they had supposedly lived before Elizabeth died. He enjoyed the work because it helped expend his energy. He had always preferred working in the warehouse or on the docks with the men to working in the offices. Now he got to spend his days mostly in the Florida sunshine building playground equipment, digging retention ponds and planting trees, among other tasks. It was the perfect job for him.

His new job, he'd been working for a little over two months now, was perfect for his new little family nucleus as well. They had found a great daycare for the kids. It was licensed and in the home of a mother who lived down the street. Sally O'Rourke and her husband Danny were in their late twenties. Her husband was a cop, which actually made Jason _more_ comfortable with the home, and she was raising their three children. She had one little boy, Rashawn, who was just younger than Cam and a little girl a year younger than Jake so according to Florida daycare requirements she was only able to take on two more. Jake and Cameron. Her son Matthew, age nine, and daughter Melanie, age six, would be going to the same elementary school anyway so Jake and her son Monte, who was three and the two year old girl, Ling-Mei, would be able to play while the older kids were in class.

Spinelli had run a background check and when everyone came back clean, Jason signed the boys up and started his new job.

Sally had a niece that was studying Child Development at the University of South Florida so she would come every afternoon and more kids would be there from the neighborhood for the two hours of after school care. All of them attended the elementary school that Cameron was now registered for and that Jake one day would attend as well.

Jason liked the O'Rourke house and daycare facility. Their house was set up similar to theirs but the Florida room was transformed into the daycare. Lots of bright colors and tons of books. It had the alphabet written in upper and lower case along the border of the ceiling where crown molding would normally go. It had plenty of art supplies, crafts, building blocks and educational toys. The O'Rourke's back yard was filled with play things. Sally had shown him where she had her home and yard inspected by the Department of Children and Families every three months as well as her board certifications, CPR and first aid training and daycare licensing. It was a perfect homey daycare where he knew that Jake and Cameron would get individual attention as opposed to those chain daycare places that housed dozens of kids from newborn to pre-teen and seemed more like a hospital than a fun place to go everyday.

But with the O'Rourkes, they would get the individual attention during the summer and then have lots of interaction of many more kids once school started. Jason liked the idea of many kids that live close to them at the daycare with his boys. It was instant friends as well as instant interaction with the parents for him and Maxie. The sooner the word got out, or at least his and Maxie's new version of their past, the sooner they would stop gawking at him while he mowed the lawn or peering out their windows at him, Maxie and the boys when they would walk to the park up the street.

Dale had told him over a game of pool one day that the neighbors were just mostly nosy. Many of the families in their tight knit neighborhood had been there for generations in one way or another. Grandparents moving from their lifelong homes to retire in one of the many retirement communities that littered Southwest Florida only for other neighbors children or grandchildren buying their house. The Watsons had lived in their home for over forty years. Even their oldest daughter Vonnie and their only granddaughter Hannah lived just down the street about a block and a half. Vonnie had been there for twenty seven years, in the same house she and her husband bought when they were first married. And one of their grandsons lived five streets down in the home that Dale and Denny's best friends sold when they decided to retire near Cape Canaveral where their son worked for NASA.

Since he had gotten the job with the city, he would work the early shift so that he could pick up the boys and make dinner. The city was on a flex-schedule to promote families and it worked out great for him. Maxie's boutique, _Georgie's Couture_, closed at seven-thirty but didn't open until ten so she got the boys up and off to daycare in the mornings. Sally had a rule, unless there was a true emergency, all children were to be gone by five-thirty so that she and her family could have a normal family evening. Jason was more than happy to oblige and usually picked his boys up no later than four fifteen, exactly fifteen minutes after he punched off the clock for the day. He worked four tens so he had every Friday through Sunday off to spend with the boys so they were at daycare only four days a week. He paid the daycare for the full week anyway, claiming that sometimes he may need to utilize that fifth day, even if for only an hour or more.

Many days Dale would wander over and while the kids were watching their favorite cartoons, he and Jason would play a game of pool. They would play two or three games, depending upon whether a tie breaker was warranted and then Dale would meander on home, sometimes with the boys in tow and Jason would start cooking dinner.

The two men, at least thirty years apart in age, had a lot in common. They didn't talk too much but lived with women who did. They were both excellent pool players and were simple in everything from the way they dressed to their tastes in thirst quenchers.

Jason enjoyed a beer or two and Dale enjoyed his sweet iced tea. It was his wife's special blend that he would bring over in his own pitcher. Maxie had tried to make tea for him and so had Jason but Dale said unless you were from the south, you just could not make sweet tea right. He assumed it was because they were from out west but west or north, restaurants and homes didn't normally have sweet tea prepared. But in the south, it was as much of a staple as water and milk.

For the kids birthday, Jason had found a motorized mini motorcycle for Cameron and a bicycle with training wheels for Jacob. He was excited to see their reactions when he wheeled them out of the Watson's garage that afternoon during the party.

It was Saturday, the day of the big party and Maxie had arranged for her store assistant to work opening to closing. She didn't want to miss out on any part of the festivities. Except of course for the cooking, cleaning and manual labor that was went in to hosting said party.

Jason didn't mind. He had planned to cook hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill and Mrs. Watson was making her famous potato salad. He had a cake made at Publix and ice cream to go with it in the freezer. Sally and her family were invited and Sally had offered to bring baked beans. Denny and Dale's daughter Vonnie was bringing a pasta salad and their oldest grandson was bringing a watermelon. Jason had found and cooked a recipe for macaroni and cheese on the internet and he had plenty of bags of potato chips, mostly bar-b-que even though Spinelli would not be there. In all, he figured the food was taken care of.

He had rented one of those big bouncing houses from a local party store and Denny told him she would provide the entertainment for the kids. She amazed him how many children's games she knew plus the fact that she was still able to keep up with them at her age. She planned Simon Says, Red Light Green Light, Pin the Tail on the Donkey and Ring Toss. She also had set up water paints and had cheap paper plates. They were all going to make their paper plate families. She had brightly colored yarn and hole punchers and staplers to attach hair, arms, legs and whatever else the children came up with.

Maxie had actually done her part too. She went shopping. She had other gifts besides the big toys for the boys and also party gifts, hats, streamers, signs and noisemakers. She had bought an arsenal of toy water guns and wooden airplanes that had to be put together and would actually fly with their rubber band motors. She set up a table for the girls to get make-overs, bringing out old makeup, dresses, hats, shoes and purses that she had planned to get rid of anyway because they were last years fashion. She also had washable tattoo's and clown makeup and noses for the boys. Sally said her sons loved that sort of stuff and offered to help paint the boys while Maxie made over the girls.

Dale was excited because he bought a new camera he and Denny were going to use on their annual trip to Pennsylvania to visit their hometown then across to California where their other daughter, her husband and their three youngest grandsons lived. The camera would do full length video but could be still frame capable as well. Dale was a bit of a photography buff and was quite proud of his work. He had shown Jason and Maxie his albums and videos he had taken on their many vacations. He was really quite good and even Maxie had commented that professional photographers were no better than him.

Dale had set up his tri-pod and another tri-pod with his old camera on it to be sure to have plenty of pictures and video for Jason, Maxie and the boys to capture this day. He promised to work to put together a video and an album within the next two weeks before they headed off on their summer long trip.

"You know Jason, I really would appreciate your keeping an eye on the place. I mean, our Grandson will be staying here but...you know...he's young and in the military and..." Dale walked up to Jason who was readying the grill.

"You don't want any wild parties." Jason nodded his head in understanding. Ever since Denny and Dale had introduced him to their twenty six year old grandson who had returned from the war he could sense a lot of his old self in the young man. His younger brother, that lived in the neighborhood had already settled down at twenty two but Robbie had a wild streak. The only thing he was missing to be an exact duplicate of Jason at that age was the leather jacket and the motorcycle.

"Well, I would hope Robert wouldn't do that to his grandmother and me but..."

"Yeah, I remember being that young. I was a little wild too. I'll be glad to watch out for the place. If they have a party I'll just go over and say the boys can't sleep. That will probably get the party to break up without making a big deal of it." Jason replied as he moved to the cooler and checked to see that it had plenty of ice in it.

"Speaking of...here's Robert now." Dale said as he moved to greet his grandson at the gate of the Johnson's back yard. "Oh and Jason...you may want to warn Maxie...Denny still has it in her mind that Robert and Maxie would make a great couple."

Jason had just pulled a bottle of water out of the ice chest and was getting ready to take a sip when Dale made the comment. It had stunned Jason causing him to miss his mouth completely and the ice cold water poured down the front of his shirt causing him to yelp. Dale turned and looked at his new friend with a puzzled expression. Had he not known any better he would say the younger man had a streak of jealousy plastered across his face.

~%~%~%~%~

Two hours later the party was in full swing. Maxie had not come out of the house yet, she was too busy showing it to the women. She wasn't really sure why they all wanted to see it. To her it was just a plain old house. She hadn't had a chance nor the money to redecorate it properly but the women just loved it. Especially the kitchen. Maxie would just comment that Jason was the cook and then roll her eyes at the ga-ga smiles and dreamy far off stares the women would make at that comment.

A few times one of the women, a single mother who's little girl was Cameron's age had commented that Jason was quite a catch. Maxie had mumbled that she wasn't his type of bait but the woman hadn't picked up on the dig. Maxie kept catching her running her hands over things like Jason's work shirts or his pool table which was set up in the dining room since they had a breakfast nook in the kitchen for a table. Then she caught the woman staring blatantly at Jason while he was bent over tying Jacob's shoe and it was all Maxie could do not to smack the too obvious woman.

She was NOT Jason's type with her auburn hair and her fake boobs and too tight mini skirt. Maxie should know, she'd seen the women Jason liked. This woman was at least five foot eight which was at least five inches too tall, her hair was dyed red, which was not the chocolate brown Jason tended toward and her personality was definitely not something that Jason would fall for.

Maxie had decided that Jason needed someone to help him get over Elizabeth and she had hoped one of the ladies they met today could be it but there were only three single ladies at the party, Vonnie, the  
Watson's daughter who was way too old for Jason, her daughter Hannah who clearly needed to go on a diet and needed a make-over plus maybe some confidence lessons and then this woman. Julia Peyton-Wainwright.

Even her name annoyed Maxie.

Finally, when all the tours had been given, Maxie made her way into the back yard where everyone was gathered. The neighbors that lived behind them, the Mullins, were an older couple but had brought their two young grandchildren who were a girl, seven and a boy, nine. Then there were the Posts that lived next door to Vonnie and their four kids Shane, Sharon, Sheila and Sheldon. All one year apart from three to six. The Barnes lived on the other side of Denny and Dale and they were a couple in their early forties with no kids. But Peggy Barnes was definitely expecting one...at any moment now.

Then of course there was Vonnie and Hannah Kemp, the Watsons and their oldest grandson, Robert Kemp, who preferred to be called Robbie but his family only called him Robert. Vonnie had apologized that her youngest son Glenn would not be there. He was called in to work at the power plant and his wife Brittany simply didn't feel well.

And the O'Rourke's were there with all three of their kids in tow.

The daycare mates, Rashawn and Ling-Mei were dropped off with gifts in tow by their parents with the promise to pick them up within three hours and one of Jason's co-workers, Billy was there with his son Junior. It was his weekend and he had been complaining about always having to come up with things for him and his four year old to do so Jason invited them.

Hot dogs and hamburgers were cooking. Denny had all the kids involved in a rousing game of Red light Green light and Jason could not help but laugh at the fact that the little kids were doing better than the older ones. He was having a beer with Billy, talking to him about the upcoming project they would be helping the water department out with. It was a drainage system that would feed from the parks many lakes and help water the parks grass and greenery while pulling from the over burdened ditches to keep the lakes full.

Billy had asked about Maxie and their situation. When they moved in, after meeting the Watsons and Maxie accidentally saying that she lived in New York and worked in the fashion industry, they came up with the story of how Maxie and Elizabeth, who they decided was much better than Monalisa simply because Jason hated the other name, were never really close because they were ten years apart in age. Another lie. Except of course that they were never really close. And that Maxie had gone to college in New York and worked learning to become a purchaser in a fashion house. They told the Watson's who then told the rest of the inquiring neighborhood that Jason and Maxie had only been around each other a handful of times, when Jason and Elizabeth got married, when Maxie graduated high school and college and then of course when Jacob was born. Also they told them that Maxie and Elizabeth were only half sisters which would explain why Maxie didn't look like the boys or the picture of their mother that was in a frame in each of the boys room holding them as infants.

Billy asked if Maxie was dating anyone and Jason simply told him yes, that she was dating a guy from college named Spinelli that visited every couple of months. He figured that was nicer than telling his co-worker that Maxie would never date someone like him. He had dirt under his fingernails, he didn't bother to iron his shirt before wearing it that day, which Jason was actually impressed that it was clean and he drove an old beat up dodge pick up truck. Three things Maxie would definitely have at the top of her "con" list. Besides, knowing Maxie, one date with her would put him in debt for years. He was probably doing his co-worker a favor.

As if her ears were burning, Maxie took that moment to step out onto the patio. She had Jake on her lap and he spilled blue Hi-C on her white linen pants so she went in to change. Again, she came out with that damned green sundress.

Quickly walking over to her, he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back into the house after handing off the grilling utensils to Billy and setting down his beer.

"Go change." He growled as they stood next to the pool table in the dining room.

"No" she said cooly as she looked across the lawn at Robbie Kemp. He was hotter looking than he was the only time she had met him before but then, he had been working on his mother's car for her and was filthy, covered with dirt and oil and wearing a pair of old coveralls with paint all over him.

Now he was dressed in navy blue dockers and a tan button down shirt. His dark brown hair was neatly coiffed and his green eyes sparkled in the Florida sunshine. His military background allowed for a hard, taut build and she could see the hint of a tattoo of an eagle sticking out from under one shirt sleeve. His facial features were all hard lines with a strong jaw and high cheekbones. He had a neatly trimmed goatee and five o'clock shadow that made him even more sexy looking. In Maxie's eyes, he was HOT.

"Maxie please. You should probably wear pants or shorts anyway." he said looking her in the eyes to let her know he meant business.

"Why do you always hate it when I wear this dress Jason? You never tell me what to wear except when I put on this dress." She wrenched her arm from his grasp and held out the cotton fabric at her sides. "Why do you hate this dress so much Jason? It's one of my favorites."

"It's nothing." he nearly whispered and looked away.

Maxie studied him for a moment and could see his eyes glossing over with unshed tears. Then she followed his gaze and saw that he was looking through the sliding glass doors at the laptop that was set up on his desk. Oddly it was open and the screen saver was running through his pictures of Elizabeth.

"Why do you have your laptop open Jason?" she asked placing her hand on his forearm.

He turned to her then looked back at the pictures and grimaced. She had caught him. "I just thought that maybe..."

Maxie waited patiently as he breathed in and out a few times. Any time a situation like this came up, she had discovered over the past year and a half that if she simply waited him out, eventually he would talk.

"I just thought that maybe Elizabeth would want to be here for the boys birthday." he said then raised his arm to lean it on the glass and then put his head in the crook of his arm while he watched the pictures scroll and change.

Maxie watched him from behind and frowned at the laptop. Although she understood, she wondered if it wasn't somehow holding him back from moving past the loss of her. She looked at her one time nemesis and smiled at a picture of her with Jacob and Cameron the Christmas before she died. Then she gasped in shock when the picture of her at Robin and Patrick's wedding came into view.

It was almost the same dress. Actually, it was the same dress except for the straps that Elizabeth had insisted on having for the wedding. Maxie had a designer in the business design her's, Anna's and Elizabeth's dresses for Robin's wedding as well as Robin's wedding dress and Maxie fell so in love with the design of Elizabeth's dress, she had one made for herself but strapless and in a thinner cotton material.

Now she understood why Jason always asked her to change it. That was one of the last times Jason had seen or talked to Elizabeth. She remembered walking in on the couple in the chapel when she and Robin and Mac had first arrived at the church. It was all as clear as if it were happening again right in front of her. Suddenly she remembered the two dropped hands that he and Elizabeth were holding when the threesome impeded on their little rendezvous.

"Oh Jason" she cried, swiping at the tears that quickly formed and tumbled down her face.

Jason turned and had the same look with tears of his own streaming. "Why are _you_ crying?"

"Nothing...I'll go change." she said and hurried off to her room.

"Daddy, Washawn pushed Wing-Mei down on the swide and now she's cwying." Jake was standing at his father's feet tattling. A new problem since daycare.

"Okay Jake" he said as he picked his son up and walked out the patio door into the back yard. He pulled Jake close and smelled the boys hair as he evened his breathing and blinked back the rest of the tears he didn't want to fall.

"Daddy, whewe's Wing-Mei's Mommy go?" he asked cupping his father's cheek.

"That's what I'd like to know." Came the purring voice of Julia.

Jason looked over to her then back at Jake. "Ling-Mei's mommy went to run some errands while Ling-Mei is at your birthday party. Just like Rashawn's daddy. Just like I sometimes do when you are over playing at Mr. And Mrs. Watson's house. Remember yesterday? You and Cam went over there and ate lunch and I went to the grocery store to buy all the stuff for your party."

"Oh" the little boy said. "Daddy, Washawn pushed hew and he didn't even say sowwy. And Miss Denny towd him not to but he cawwed her owd and pushed Wing-Mei anyway."

"Shame on him." Julia piped in. "I bet you wouldn't do that now would you Jakey?"

Jason and Jake both looked over a the woman with the same facial expression. They hated when people called him Jakey. And Jason had been getting a bad vibe from the woman all day. Like she was attaching herself to him. Every time he turned around, she was there or she was staring at him.

Leave it to Jake to say what was on his mind. Jason used to do that.

"Wady my name is Jake. Don't wike Jakey. It's stupid." he said leaning over his dad's arms and looking down at the red haired woman. "And Cookie is a dumb name."

"Jake" Jason half heartedly admonished and he looked at the woman who had just been insulted by his son and shrugged slightly. "I'm sorry for that. We're working on it."

He then walked away thinking to himself that he too thought naming your daughter Cookie was stupid and chuckled a bit at the fact that his son had just stated out loud what probably every person who had met the woman and her silly named child had wanted to say.

Realizing he needed to deal with Jake's tattling he set his son down and turned him to face his father. "Jacob Martin...I've already talked to you about this tattling you have been doing. Now what Rashawn did was wrong but I don't want my sons growing up as tattle tales."

"But Daddy, Miss Sawwy says if someone is getting huwt then it's okay to tattewe."

"That's true but..." He thought for a moment and couldn't argue the theory so he just left it be.

He looked around and decided presents and cake was called for. The party had been rolling for about two hours and once the presents were opened they could have the cake. Then people could hang out or head home if they chose. Everyone had eaten. At least he thought they had. He knew Maxie hadn't but that was because she had brought home some sushi for herself when she went for her weekly hour at the spa for her manicure and pedicure. He knew she was planning to eat that instead of the hamburgers and hot dogs he had cooked.

She kept insisting that since living with him and the boys she was getting fat but Jason sure didn't see where this fat was. She ate like a bird and usually only the vegetables or lean meat like fish or chicken. She never ate fried foods and would always stop when she reached the halfway mark of a plateful whether they were out at a restaurant or dining at home.

Jason always finished whatever she was eating if they were at a restaurant and sometimes at home as well, if he wasn't already full.

What she didn't know was that he was putting a protein powder with vitamin supplements in her morning latte. He said it was a new blend he had found and she accepted it wholeheartedly. He figured since he was always the one waking her up in the morning before he left for work, he could bring her fancy coffee to her and also ensure that she was nutritionally sound to care for his boys throughout the day.

"Hey everyone...why don't we all gather around Jake and Cam and watch them open their gifts?" He shouted above the music and talking and kids screaming.

He walked over to the table and pulled out the two decorated chairs for his two boys. Maxie had really gone all out. She had royal crowns to place on their heads. They were Burger King crowns but still, and she had decorated their chairs with streamers and special balloons to show that they were the important ones at the table. She also made sure that the store had made two completely separate sides to the birthday cake so that each side showed each kids individuality. Cam's side had motorcross bikes and they were on a little dirt track. Jake's had a South American rain forest with monkeys and snakes and parrots and other toy animals and plastic trees. And of course a big wax 6 was in the middle of Cam's side and a big 3 was in the middle of Jake's side. It said Happy Birthday on the top and each kids nickname on each side of the half sheet cake.

"Wait for me!" Maxie shouted as she flailed her arms moving toward the table.

The crowd parted and Jason, Jake and Cam all looked to see Maxie in a pair of light blue low waisted Bermuda shorts, white four inch wedge tie up sandals and a crisp white sleeveless blouse that was unbuttoned but tied at the waist to reveal a matching light blue tube top. The sound of two men whistling brought them all out of their trance and all three Johnson boys looked across the table at Billy and Robbie who were both panting with their tongues practically on the floor.

"Thank you" she smiled at them and then moved toward Cameron and Jake.

"You wook Pwetty Maxie." Jake stated as he stood in his chair and held his arms out for her.

"Awww thank you Jake." she coo'ed as she scooped him up in her arms and gave him a kiss on his lips.

Denny and Dale were standing at the other end of the table and Dale was shuttering pictures as Denny watched the sweet exchange.

Jason was staring at Maxie stone faced and Maxie couldn't help but feel maybe again her outfit was an improper choice in the ex-mobsters opinion.

Clearing her throat and placing Jake back in his chair she ran her fingers through his spiky blond hair and looked back up at Jason. "Isn't there something you need to go get Jason?"

"Huh..." his focus came back and he looked in her deep blue eyes. "Oh...that will wait until last."

"Okay then let the gift opening begin." she announced.

Sally piped in and offered her sage advice. "I think maybe cake should be first because once the presents are opened, the kids will want to play with them."

"Yes" came offers from the other mothers and grandmothers around the table.

"Oh, okay...then let's eat cake!" Maxie exclaimed excitedly toward the boys she had grown to love dearly.

Vonnie pushed the cake toward the boys and Hannah pulled the lighter from the grill and handed it over to Maxie. Maxie lit the candles and Denny started singing. Once the Happy Birthday song was complete, Jason and Maxie both instructed the boys to blow out the candles and the two boys leaned over and practically spit on the cake to extinguish the flames.

Maxie drug her finger through the side of the cake and with frosting on her finger, place a bit of it on Jake's then Cam's noses and then just to bring a smile to her own face quickly removed the rest of the frosting on her finger onto Jason's nose since he was crouched down next to Cameron.

In unison all three groaned and yelled, "MAXIE"

Again Denny and Dale watched the exchange and this time looked at each other and shrugged. They had talked a few times how well Jason and Maxie interacted with the boys around but how they fought horribly when the boys weren't running interference. They had wondered in the privacy of their own home if maybe there couldn't be something brewing between the two in-laws.

~%~%~%~%~%~

The party was over and everyone had a great time. The boys loved their new cycles and had ridden them for quite some time before Jason instructed them to share their toys with the others. Many of the families had gone home and Jason and Maxie were cleaning up the back yard while the boys played with their new toys.

Jason had carried the empty cooler into the garage when he heard Maxie giggling just outside of it. When he set the cooler in its proper place, he noticed Maxie's green sundress in the big city garbage container. He walked over to the edge of the garage to ask why she was throwing it away only to find Maxie standing and talking to Robbie at the fence. He had gone with his grandparents, mother and sister to the Watson's house when the party died down and was now leaving. He was leaning up against the fence and Jason watched as he trailed his finger over Maxie's arm and up her shoulder then around her jawline then down her throat. Maxie finally stopped his finger's progression when he ventured dangerously close to her chest where the tube top started.

Maxie giggled again and pulled away but he caught her by her arm and pulled her back to the fence. Jason listened as the young military man hit on his roommate.

"So, when can I take you out?" He asked shifting to place his other hand in his pocket pulling out a set of keys.

Maxie looked over at his sixty nine silver jade convertible mustang and smiled. "I don't know. I don't get many chances to go out on my own with the boys you know."

"But I thought they were just your nephews. Can't Jason watch his own kids so that you can enjoy a night out on the town? You know...some adult time?" he asked.

"They aren't _**just**_ my nephews Robbie." She retorted rather perturbed at his flippant attitude toward Jake and Cam.

Jason smiled as he listened to her lash out at Robbie's insensitive comment about his sons. _Good for you Maxie _he thought as he watched the younger man flinch at the harsh reply she gave him.

"I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry. I was just thinking...I mean you've given up your life to help Jason raise his sons. At least that's what my sister tells me. You planned to be a big time fashion person or something in New York City but now here you are in Dullsville playing house. I just thought maybe I could get you away from that for a night. You know, maybe take in dinner and a movie or hit some of the clubs in town. Or better yet, head up to Disney and go to Pleasure Island."

Jason rolled his eyes at the suggestion of _Pleasure Island_. He didn't know what it had to do with Disney World but it sounded like some place you would take a girl expecting to get laid.

"Well, maybe I could get away one of these evenings after work for a late dinner." she purred and Jason couldn't help but be proud of the fact that Maxie, who normally would jump straight in to the fire without thinking, had hesitantly accepted his offer but changed it to _her _terms. Terms that were safe.

A late dinner after work meant three things. She would drive herself and meet him at the restaurant. She wouldn't stay out late because she had to get the boys to daycare in the morning and she would definitely come home to sleep in her own bed. Since he knew that Robbie lived on the Airforce base in Tampa, they wouldn't be staying there either. Therefore, she would hopefully not be sleeping with the young man on the first date.

Jason shook his head wondering why he cared. Then he gave a quick nod when he told himself it was because of her influence and relationship with his boys. He turned and walked back into the garage, having heard enough. He walked through the house grabbing a garbage bag to finish picking up the mess that was left on the table.

A few minutes later Maxie came waltzing around the corner with a smile on her face. She walked up to Jason and pulled the bag from his hand holding it open while he dropped cups, plates, utensils and other trash into it.

"It was a nice party." she commented with and air of easiness and contentment in her voice.

"Yeah" he grunted.

Her brows furrowed at his demeanor and she rolled her eyes knowing that he was back to being _**that**_ Jason again. She hated _**that**_ Jason and his smug, brooding attitude.

"The boys really liked their presents." She tried again hoping to get a different reaction.

"Yeah" he grunted again and Maxie sighed.

"You know what Jason, we just had a really great day. Can you just stop acting like a block of cement and maybe...um...I don't know...say more than one thing at a time to me?" she whined as she dropped the bag onto the cement patio.

"What!" He raised his voice to match hers.

"What? What! Try holding a conversation with me Jason. It won't kill you." she said as she reached across the table for a few of the half eaten pieces of cake.

"It just might." he retorted and a hint of a smile curved his lips.

"Oh you!" she responded moving toward him with sure steps. "You are such a JERK!"

"Oh really. Then being a jerk, it wouldn't surprise you if I did this." He batted one of her hands pushing it up to her face.

A hand that had a piece of cake on a small paper plate.

Pulling the hand with the plate down and then wiping the remaining frosting off of her chin she glared daggers at the man standing before her laughing. "You're in for it Jason."

He stepped back and put his hands up as she moved toward him with the other hand that happened to have a piece of cake in it as well. He pulled the chair out to block her and she threw the cake at his head, completely missing him and hitting Cameron instead.

Jason looked down at his son who now had white cake frosting with chocolate cake all through his curly hair and then looked back at Maxie. "You're giving the boys baths tonight."

"Who's gonna give me a bath Jason?" she reached for the pitcher of ice water and flung it at him. It caught his shoulder but then landed on a completely oblivious Jake who was concentrating on hooking together two Lego's.

Jake screamed and Maxie immediately bent down to comfort the boy and apologize for wetting him. Jason took that opportunity to throw a plate of potato chips on her head. She immediately shot up reaching for her hair and pulling out a chip.

Cameron got excited and remembered something like this happening on a movie they had watched at daycare when a family had a frog that started a big mess.

"FOOD FIGHT" he yelled mimicking the movie and he picked up his own plate that had a half eaten hot dog and threw it at Jason.

Jason tucked out of the way, seeing the ketchup slathered dog coming at him for a mile. But in moving, the hot dog landed on Maxie's bare arm and slid down leaving a red streak from her shoulder to her elbow.

Figuring her outfit was ruined anyway, Maxie lunged for the rest of the sheet cake sitting in the middle of the table and this time caught Jason right in the side of the face. Seeing the look on Jason's face, Maxie turned on her heel and started sprinting toward the side yard, figuring she may need to get some distance for a while until he calmed down.

But Jason was having none of it. He took off after her catching her by the waist as she reached the gate. The safety locking mechanism on the gate kept her from making her escape and she shrieked when his strong arms clamped around her middle and she was lifted up in the air. He stomped back to the back yard patio where Jake and Cameron were throwing food at each other making a complete mess of themselves, the patio and it's furniture and the remainder of the cake and food left sitting on the table.

Baked beans were flying and potato salad was sliding down hair, legs and backs. The punch was a new water weapon and the boys were giggling, laughing and having a great time tossing cups at each other once they had emptied them on Maxie while their Daddy held her for her punishment. Maxie retaliated by taking handful's of potato chips and shoving them down the back of Jason's shirt making sure to crunch them into his back. Then she took the pasta salad and gave even spoonfuls to each boy. In their hair.

Finally Jason looked around. There was no food left on the table. No drinks and the cake was demolished and on the ground as well. He was panting heavily and so was Maxie. The boys were running wild in the yard screaming and chasing each other with whatever they could scoop off of the ground.

He looked at Maxie and smiled, an evil smile playing across his face and even though she didn't know what his mind was thinking, she knew she didn't want any part of it. She held up her hands calling a truce and backed away from him.

"I don't know what you're thinking but I give...I quit. Uncle."

"Too late" he said as he stalked toward her.

"What are you going to do?" she asked and then changed tactics. "Okay Okay...I'll give the boys a bath...I'll clean up from the party...I'll...I'll...wash dishes for a week."

"Go on" he prodded as he continued to stalk his prey.

"Go on what?" she demanded, standing her ground but then deciding differently and backing up further until the fence stopped her.

"What else will you do?" he asked.

"I...I'll pick up after myself."

"Okay, what else?" he kept moving toward her.

"I'll...I'll...uh...not complain about what you cook." she stammered.

"That's not enough." he smiled.

"Ooookaaaay...I'll...OH I'll keep better receipts and records at the boutique so that you don't have such a hard time with the books."

"You need to do that anyway Maxie. Regardless of our circumstance, you are expected by the IRS to have your books straight for the business."

"Well yeah but you have to admit, it would stop you from yelling at me so much." she smirked and he raised an eyebrow but then nodded his head agreeing that it was a bone of contention between the two.

"Good...I'll hold you to that but....what else?"

"Well what else is there? I know you don't want me cooking. Even Jake hates my cooking and that kid will eat dirt!"

He shook his head, "No, we don't want you cooking. You know what it is I want Maxie. Just promise it and this will be over."

"Well what else is there you are planning to do?"

"You said something about 'who was going to give you a bath'." He swooped in and scooped her up in his arms quickly moving across the lawn to head over to the kiddie pool.

"NO...JASON NO!" She screamed as he headed for the full, cold pool.

"Say it Maxie!" he demanded.

"No, I won't!" she folded her arms across her chest.

"Say IT!" he again demanded.

"NO!" she said pushing at his chest but then he let loose of her and she slipped so she grabbed on to his neck and pulled herself up. Jason of course took better hold of her, cradling her tighter to his chest.

Then he tilted her down so that her hair wafted across the water, soaking the ends. "Say it Maxie. Tell me what you know is the only thing that you could possibly give me that would satisfy me."

He raised his eyebrows and looked her in the eye. He scooped down further and she felt the water on the top of her head.

"OKAY OKAY...I'll clean all of my stuff out of your closet!" she huffed and he pulled her up smiling as he looked at her.

"Good girl." he said as he made like he was going to put her down but then at the last minute, he dropped to his knees and plunged her into the pool.

"JASON!" She screamed as she felt the freezing cold water surround her.

She quickly jumped up out of the water and batted Jason's hands away when he reached to assist her in getting out of the pool.

"I gave you what you wanted. WHY DID YOU DO THAT?" she fumed, hands on hips dripping from every part of her body.

Cameron and Jake were behind Jason laughing and watching as their Daddy and Maxie played their game.

Jason looked over at his boys and smiled. He turned to Maxie with an evil grin and nonchalantly shrugged. "You are right Maxie. Keep the closet. I don't need it. There's more than enough room in my dresser for my clothes."

And at that admission, he turned and ushered the boys into the house to go take a bath and him a shower.

Maxie groaned stomping behind them to head into her own bedroom for a nice hot bath praying she used all the hot water so that Jason had to take a cold shower.

Denny and Dale rocked on their swing in their back yard drinking their sweet iced tea and watching the entire scene play out. Dale looked at Denny and pulled her closer into his side. "Robbie doesn't stand a chance."


	5. Chapter 4

Author's Note: Some of you may be getting impatient with these two. I am as well. However, I refuse to give in to my wants and make this story too rushed. We're only at chapter four and I think it would do a disservice to the story to put them together too soon. However, notice that in chapter three I moved us in time. It has now been a year and a half since Elizabeth died and Jason and Maxie were forced to live together. They are fleshing out each other. Jason is making her coffee every morning with the pretense that he's giving her body nutrients he doesn't feel she's getting but still...he's big bad Jason Morgan. He _could_ just MAKE her take the protein shake with vitamin enhancements. But instead, he makes her coffee EVERY morning.

And they are all finding their way and falling into a groove. They are set up with daycare, routines, jobs and such. We'll see more of that in this chapter.

OH and for all the nay sayers you come across...Steve Burton was born in June 1970, Kirsten Storms was born in April 1984 so he's 13 yrs 10 months older than her. Jason Morgan (Q) was born according to wikepedia...01/22/1982 and Maxie Jones was born October 31, 1990. Therefore the characters are not too old or too young for each other (he should be 27 but they put him at around 35ish and she should be 19 but they portray her around 23ish). So tell the nay sayers to stick it.

Thank you to everyone who is giving me such great support and replies to this story. You are all making me think with your comments. Keep them coming. I am well known for having a reply change the direction or at least give way to an added chapter of my stories.

**Chapter 4**

Jason Johnson, formerly Jason Morgan, hated Robert _Robbie_ Kemp. If he was still Jason Morgan, he would beat the guy's ass just for kicks.

Sometimes he really wished he still lived above Jake's and was Jason Morgan, loner, misunderstood, rebel. But he was Jason Johnson. Upstanding citizen in the town of Largo, Florida. Father of two, roommate of Maxie Webster, formerly Maxie Jones. Mr. Predictable. Mr. Safe. Mr. Boring.

Robbie Kemp wasn't. He was wild. He partied hard and played harder. He always had something going on, people around, things to do. He was the bane of Jason's existence and Maxie's new boy toy. The guy had crawled right under Jason's skin and had been festering there for three weeks. Like gangrene and at some point, he was going to have to amputate the guy from his family's life.

Maxie had run in the house from her weekly mani-pedi and thrown the requested business receipts, invoices and logs down on Jason's desk. She then informed him that she was going to the beach with Robbie and his friends. She ran into her bedroom and twenty minutes later came out in a white string bikini that he swore had no ass to it and a sheer, see through red sarong that barely covered her uncovered behind and tied on the side. But still true to form, Maxie had on a pair of red, white and blue high heeled wedge flip flops and a matching red, white and blue beach bag and plastic thick red, white and blue arm bangles.

Jason rolled his eyes as he could hear her chant _It's all about the accessories._

Ever since she had started seeing Robbie, she tended to wear some sort of red, white and blue outfit at least twice a week. It wasn't that Jason was against patriotism. Far from it. He had erected a flag pole in the front yard. He taught the boys how to properly raise and lower the flag as well as how to fold it. They had attended the Memorial Day Flag Retirement ceremony where they properly burned the flags at the local American Legion up the street. He even signed he and the boys up as members.

But this was not like Maxie. She wouldn't wear red, white or blue unless Vogue told her to. And actually, she tended to dress ahead of the trends. Her style was more current European. At least that's what he heard her telling Hannah the other day when they were hanging out sunning themselves in the back yard.

Now, Maxie was turning herself inside out for Robbie. And Jason hated him for it.

Sure, the patriotism and the mellowed wardrobe were typical of summer when Memorial Day bled to Independence Day. But Maxie was anything but typical. She even scoffed at Jason and the boys becoming members of the neighborhood veteran's organization and flat out refused to join them for the Memorial Day celebration held up there.

Jason liked the place. It was laid back and blue collar but everyone was respectful. Billy was the one to turn him on to the place and said that kids are welcome but that mostly they came for special functions such as the Memorial Day celebration where they had fun games and activities set up for the youths. He said it never got rowdy and if it did, it was usually over a game on the televisions or a dart board. Jason felt sure that there were few fights in the establishment. He and Billy would go there after work some days to have a beer or two and shoot a game of pool before he went to get the boys. They had good food and cold beer. To Jason it was like Kellys meets Jakes.

The newspaper stated recently that the place received an anonymous gift of ten thousand dollars which was what they needed to build the rec room they wanted to add. The added building was to provide a place for senior's and children's activities away from the bar that was attached to the post's main building. No one needed to know where it came from and Jason felt good to be able to support good causes with the money he had squired away.

He never spent the money anyway. Spinelli set up several accounts and almost all of them were overseas. He had one account of all legally earned money in the United States that he and Maxie both had credit cards to. The one he set up for Maxie she was burning up at rapid speed. It didn't matter to him though and that's why he gave her one.

It certainly kept her relatively at peace and out of his hair.

The cars were paid for and the mortgage on the house was easily paid with his wages from his municipal job. Maxie used the credit card for the boutiques products she purchased from Milan and Paris design houses. She also used it to do the renovations to the building the FBI procured for her. They didn't pay for the building, Jason did. But he figured it was payment for all the help she gave him with the boys. And it was easier to let her think things were provided by the FBI to make up for her suffering.

Besides, it made her happy that she had free reign to set up a business. All of her dresses were one-of-a-kind originals. If she sold something in one size, she would pull the outfit from the shelf and send it back so that no one would ever be embarrassed by having the same thing on as someone else. She hadn't turned a profit yet, but surprisingly, Maxie was showing great business sense. From the receipts, he had noticed quite a few repeat customers already in the three months since her grand opening. By month end, he fully expected her to be in the black.

She had worked hard renovating the stand alone building that used to be a restaurant into her clothes and accessories boutique named after her sister. Georgie's Boutique was located just a block off the Gulf of Mexico and was situated between Fifteenth and Sixteenth Avenues on Gulf Boulevard in downtown Indian Rocks Beach. The area had heavy traffic and there was a strip mall next door with a hair salon, day spa and a restaurant as well as other stores. Then across the street was a large condominium complex that boasted many weekly vacation rentals. She had everything to offer the tourist from formal wear to casual wear and everything in between.

She had shoes, purses, belts, hair clips, high quality costume jewelry and a line of lotions, creams and cosmetics that a woman at her spa sold. Maxie used and touted the product herself so she decided, why not make money off of it. She worked the area to find people that sold their own quality hand made products like purses, bags, scarves and jewelry. She would broker a deal and allow shelf space in her store for a thirty percent cut of the profits. Nothing tacky though, she had to approve it to put it on the shelf and the person had to agree to her 'one-of-a-kind' policy. She would even make them sign a contract.

She had networked and advertised to the point that Jason figured she had over extended herself but in less than one quarter, she was nearing the black and business was so steady that on Fridays and Saturdays her business traffic doubled. He just hoped the business stayed the same or increased because at this point he had never seen a business take off so quickly.

And he was impressed because Maxie had truly done it all by herself.

Jason would do his part to help her. He kept all of the books and had Spinelli show him how to tie her cash register in to his computer at home. He had a simple Quick Books program similar to the one Bernie had set up for the coffee shop in Port Charles so he was somewhat familiar with the system. He also made sure he was there on Thursday evenings when the truck with the new products came in so that he could unload it for her. She would then set everything up so that it was displayed the next day while Jason took the kids to Kolb Park which was a block behind the store.

The kids loved the park. It had tennis courts, a baseball field, a fully equipped playground, skateboard ramps and shuffle board. It was right across from the little Town Hall and tons of people were always there every Thursday. Jason started bringing a baseball and mitts for him and Cameron because they were going to sign him up for little league the next season and he wanted Cameron to already have some practice.

The bat, ball and the gloves were some of the gifts Cameron got from Maxie for his birthday and he was so excited to play. He kept telling Jason and Maxie that he was going to be a Tampa Bay Ray one day when he got older. Maxie suggested he strive for the Yankees because they paid better. Jason didn't care what he did when he grew up. The point was to simply grow up safe.

When they first approached Maxie about leaving Port Charles with Jason, she insisted that no matter where they went, she would be able to do something in the fashion industry. After much brainstorming, she was so happy to settle on a high end couture boutique and had spent their year traveling preparing and planning everything down to the style of handles on the doors.

They had to be the kind that curved and were an actual handle. The knobs were too hard to turn when your hands were full of shopping bags. The automatic push handle type doors looked cheap and she didn't want cheap. So fancy, curved, handles like you would find on French doors leading to a lanai in a Mediterranean style home was what she demanded. And Jason thought he was going to kill her standing in the middle of Home Depot when it took her an hour to finally decide upon the Saphire Royale model in Satin Nickel finish instead of the Brushed Pewter.

So to set up Maxie's store, Jason had Spinelli put in lots of time, work and money. Jason's money to be specific to set her up with exactly what she wanted. And also a security system that rivaled Fort Knox. They installed a face recognition camera in the front and the back door camera's. It was designed to alert Spinelli at the FBI if any known criminals came into the boutique. Then if it looked like danger for Maxie, he would call Jason and Jason would take care of it. They were realistic about the situation. Maxie wasn't going to give up so giving her the little boutique would satisfy her and also occupy her. But the fact that criminals go on vacation too was not lost on the former mobster and his hacker. So they set up a top notch security in the boutique to protect her, Jason and the boys from discovery.

Once Maxie closed the shop on Thursdays, they would all eat at the restaurant next to her shop in the strip mall. It was called Keegans Seafood Grille. It didn't look like much from the outside and wasn't the Metro Court on the inside either but the seafood was spectacular. Their claim to fame was being on the popular Food Network show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. The boys would split a shrimp and chicken basket. Maxie would get the broiled mahi-mahi with a side salad and Jason would toggle back and forth between the Linguini Ajillo with Clams or the Blackened Amberjack. One thing both adults agreed on was the Keegans She Crab soup so they would order a bowl and when Maxie had enough, which was usually only about four or five bites, Jason would eat the rest.

Little changes and traditions had been noticed by Jason. Maxie went to work early on Saturdays and was considering opening the boutique an hour earlier. Her assistant worked Wednesday through Saturday, opening to closing on Saturday's. The high school girl was responsible and the boutique rarely took in cash. Yet Maxie didn't like to leave her to be by herself too often. She worried that the girl was just too young and immature to not screw something up. Jason chuckled at the thought since Maxie was the one _h_e worried about.

Jason always did Maxie's books on Wednesday night so that he would have Brittany's check on Thursdays. She was always so excited to get it when he went to unload the shipments. And after she had done so well on the Saturday of the boy's party when she was left by herself, Maxie had given her a nice raise. She was a beautiful girl and reminded him a lot of Georgie in looks and in personality. Maxie paid her well and was very protective projecting her love of Georgie onto the younger girl. And Jason completely understood that theory but never voiced it out loud.

He knew Maxie would have simply brushed off his observation as ridiculous anyway.

Jason had become friends with Billy and they would stop at the American Legion every Monday and Wednesday after work for an hour. Then on the weekends he had Junior, Billy and Junior would come over for pizza on Friday night and the boys would play while he and Billy played pool or worked on the cars in the garage. Billy's truck needed all the help it could get and Jason loved working as a mechanic again.

Hannah had been coming over on Friday's when Billy was here to hang out with Maxie. The two girls were the same age and actually got along really well. At first it was apparent that the girl had a crush on Jason but he was careful with her feelings and was sure to never lead her on. But now Jason suspected her crush had moved on to his friend. Maxie on the other hand treated Hannah as if she were the female version of Spinelli and as Maxie put it, she was on a mission to get the girl a make over, a man and laid. In that order.

Every Sunday they ate out for dinner. It was the kids choice so it was usually somewhere that had games, a playground or some sort of silly theme or character. However, Maxie was not happy with their selections so she insisted they eat at a Japanese Steakhouse that was up the street one Sunday. Ever since, the boys would choose that place half the time because the funny man cooked in front of them and threw food at the customers and made fire volcanos. Jason didn't care where they ate as long as they established a routine for the boys that included all of them spending time together. He felt it was imperative to their development and Denny had confirmed it for him.

The boutique was closed on Sundays and Mondays but Maxie always took the boys to daycare on Mondays for some alone time. He had noticed she had been slowly replacing everything in their house with high end furniture and odds and ends. She called it retail therapy. Jason called it an addiction.

But again, Jason didn't care as long as everyone was happy.

The boys were dressed impeccably no matter if they were going to the beach, the park, school or to bed. She had even started buying Jason clothes. He told her not to but she insisted. Luckily she still feared what she called his "Death Stare" so she just added to his clothes instead of replacing them like she had for her and the boys wardrobe. But now he had twenty pair of jeans, some with weird pockets and places where they were already worn or torn. And he had new shoes and shirts as well. Still, he stuck with his black motorcycle boots and his regular Hanes T-shirts he could by in a three pack at the local discount store. She would huff but quickly move on knowing that there was no point in arguing about his wardrobe.

To Jason's surprise, he liked some of the new jeans so he didn't mind wearing them. And he would make an effort to wear some of the button down shirts she bought him when they would go out to eat with the boys. And though two of the pair of shoes she bought he would not be caught dead in, she did buy him some boots he could wear to work and another pair of motorcycle boots that he would wear on occasion to slowly break in.

And she hadn't really gone that overboard on the credit card.

Besides, he was filthy rich and could care less about money. If she was happy, his boys were happy and that in turn made Jason happy.

But right now, staring at her, getting ready to leave once again with Robbie, Jason Johnson was not happy.

Denny and Dale left for their trip. Jason thought before then that Maxie didn't want to date Robbie but as soon as they left town, she started seeing their oldest grandson. Jason had asked her about it and she told him that she hadn't wanted to date him because of the Watsons but since they were out of town for the next three months, there was no reason why she couldn't have a little summer fun.

So for the past month, Jason had watched as Maxie threw herself at him and he took all she would give. Unfortunately, two days ago, he had also seen the same man at the Legion with his buddies. He didn't know Jason was there because he had just ducked out of the bathroom on his way to leave when Robbie started talking about Maxie. He was describing to his buddies sex with Maxie.

Jason's blood boiled as he listened to the man degrade Maxie and when he heard him talking about some rather graphic encounters and the guys started chiming in with sexually explicit taunts, Jason stepped around the corner and pushed Robbie up against the wall warning him to treat Maxie with more respect. Robbie's friends went to defend him but one lethal glare from Jason and they retreated.

Robbie, of course, muttered his apologies and said he was just getting out of hand with his 'boyz' but Jason didn't want to hear it and reminded the younger man again that he was to either show Maxie the respect she deserved or stay away from her.

And then Jason Johnson, with all the control he could muster, walked away before the first punch was thrown.

Now she was going to the beach with the bum and his lame assed buddies. He knew the guy was just young but somehow he could not wrap his mind around a man growing up with Denny and Dale for grandparents or even Vonnie as a mother behaving in the manner in which he had been since moving in to stay for the summer next door.

"Maxie" he stopped her before she got out the door. "Are you going out in _**that**_?"

"What?" she turned around smiling as she adjusted her top and Jason got a glimpse of the white skin that covered her small globes.

He blushed and turned his head and she just laughed at him and stood there waiting for him to gain his composure and say what he needed so she could leave. This situation had happened a few times over the past year and a half and Maxie was always tickled at how flustered and embarrassed he became when it did.

When they were on the boat was when it happened the most. There was just no way to turn around without accidentally giving an accidental peep show on occasion. She wasn't ashamed of her body and when the boys were involved, she would just talk to them about what they may have seen and answered any questions. The funniest was when Jake asked if her pee pee fell off.

And then there were the times she caught Jason.

He was a magnificent specimen and she never failed to appreciate the view when he would accidentally get caught in the shower or changing in his room and forgetting to close the blinds to the sliding glass doors.

She had a new appreciation for their house when that happened. The L shaped house used to have a detached garage but with the addition of the Florida room, which was now Jason's room, the house was shaped perfectly like an L. And the sliding glass doors to the dining room which was their billiards room was perpendicular to the sliding glass doors that led outside from Jason's room.

Jason rarely shut the door because he didn't want the boys to think he was hiding away from them and he liked to keep the blinds to the sliding doors open so he could see into the house and for the natural lighting. However, on occasion, he would forget when he was changing and Maxie would get a glimpse.

And Maxie never shied away from looking at Jason. She was a woman after all.

"Why don't you stay here with me and the boys today. We haven't seen you all week. The boys missed you at dinner Thursday also." he said finally.

"We who Jason?" she asked raising an eyebrow and ticking her hip out in annoyance. "I've seen the boys every morning this week and Robbie and I went to a military function Thursday, you knew that. I had already explained to the boys. They were fine with it."

"They weren't fine with it Maxie. They complained the whole time because you weren't there." he explained as he stood from the couch and moved toward her at the front door. "Just stay home today. Robbie will still be there tomorrow."

"And so will you three" she rolled her eyes in frustration. "We're going to the beach with his friends. I don't want to miss that."

"But you hate the natural sun."

"I'm getting used to it." she sighed and checked her bag again for the high SPF lotion she would need to lather on frequently so her skin didn't look like she was eighty by the end of summer.

"Fine but what are you telling Spinelli about Robbie when he calls. I'm not going to lie for you Maxie."

"Who asked you to? Spinelli knows the score Jason." she said as she pulled the door open to find Robbie standing there in a pair of baggies and flip flops. "See you tomorrow."

And Jason could say nothing as she traipsed out the door. She wasn't his sister and could make her own decisions. Even if Jason thought they were bad ones.

~%~%~%~%~

Jason woke up to the sound of loud music. He looked over at his alarm clock and noticed it was just after midnight. He sat up in bed and listened to discover where the music was coming from. One look out the window told him. There was a party at the Watsons.

He scrubbed his face as he lifted himself out of bed. He scratched at his bare chest as he moved over to the dresser and pulled off his sleep shorts and pulled on a pair of jeans over his boxer briefs. He reached into the next drawer and pulled out a clean t-shirt and tugged it over his head. Barefoot, he walked to the closet and reached up to pull his gun out, just in case there was trouble when he broke up the party. He hadn't had any problems the one other time but he was never one to be unprepared for anything.

Walking down the hall to check on the boys, he noted them both still asleep and picked up his keys on his way out the locked door to head across the alleyway.

Figuring he would assess the situation before barging in, he looked in the two bay windows at the front of the Watson's house and became enraged at what he saw.

Robbie was passed out drunk on the sofa and Maxie was fending off one of his friends with great effort. She looked drunk as well and was having a hard time keeping her balance. Jason immediately rounded the corner to the front door and burst in to the living room ready for a fight.

One of the guys yelled but Maxie pulled away from the groper and ran to Jason. Looking down at her, she was glassy eyed, her hair was disheveled and all she had on was the bikini. Immediately Jason whipped his shirt over his head and in one quick motion slipped Maxie easily into the cotton cover-up.

The guy who was manhandling her a minute ago protested and Jason tucked Maxie into a recliner behind him and dragged the guy out into the front lawn. The idiot kept antagonizing Jason so he threw a punch that felt so good. He could feel the bone of the guys cheek crunch under his knuckles and the guy instantly flopped onto the ground wailing in pain. His two friends came out to help but then saw Jason's gun tucked into the waistband of his jeans so they held their hands up and told Jason they didn't want any trouble.

Jason pushed past the two guys and loudly informed the rest of the partiers that the fun was over. Everyone left quickly seeing that Jason meant business. Phillip Barnes from next door was standing in the front yard with his cordless phone when Jason finally pushed the remaining guys and their girlfriends out the door.

"Everything okay Jason?" He asked before he dialed the police.

"Yeah, alls good." He watched as the guy he pegged with an uppercut was helped into his friends car holding a beer to his eye. "That guy isn't going to feel so great tomorrow but he'll live." then Jason muttered how lucky he was because had Jason been five minutes later he was sure the guy would have gone farther with Maxie and then death would not have been good enough.

"Okay, is Robbie in there?" he asked sliding the unused phone into his pocket and walking closer to Jason as he tugged his robe closed.

"Yeah the fuck head is passed out drunk. I swear it's hard to believe he could treat Denny and Dale's house this way. And Maxie..." he didn't finish the sentence because he didn't need to air his concerns to the neighbors.

"She's a sweet girl Jason. She doesn't need to be mixed up with the likes of Robbie Kemp. He used to be such a sweet boy but since coming back from his tour of duty it's like he's a different person."

"Well, I wouldn't go that far. He's just a young adult now and needs to remember what his limits are. I remember being that young. I just hope he pulls his head out of his ass before something really bad happens."

"Yeah. Are you going to call Vonnie?" the new father asked, rings of sleepless circles under his eyes.

"Nah...she doesn't need to worry. Besides Robbie is twenty six, it's not like she can do anything about it." Jason replied shoving his hands into his pockets suddenly feeling way under dressed without his shirt on. "I'll talk to Robbie tomorrow when he's sober. "Go get some sleep. Hey, how's Adrianna?"

"She's beautiful. I have a feeling I'm going to need to buy a shotgun for when she's a teenager."

"Yeah..." Jason laughed turning toward the front porch to go get Maxie. "Just make sure you don't shoot my boys, got it?"

Phillip Barnes smiled and turned to go back in to his own house. He had a feeling that with a father like Jason, he would be lucky if Cameron or Jake were courting his daughter when they were older.

When he walked in to the Watson's living room, Maxie had already fallen asleep. He checked on Robbie to make sure he was breathing. Rapped him in the head just for the shear fact that the guy passed out when his girlfriend was being attacked. Then checked out the rest of the house making sure lights were turned off, no other partiers were straggling, checked to see that the stove and oven were off and locked the back door. He then scooped Maxie's petite frame up into his arms, brushing her hair out of her face.

She looked so innocent. He was just thankful she still was. There was no telling where that idiots limits were and Maxie could have seriously been hurt had Jason not been there when he was. He walked out of the front door, locking it behind him and carried Maxie home.

Jason put her to bed in the shirt he had put over her. He had no idea where her shoes were but had seen her beach bag and picked that up on his way out the Watson's door. He checked to see that she had taken her heart medicine for the evening and was happy to see that she had.

He had learned everything he needed to know about Maxie's heart condition and the transplant. Robin had printed out a books worth of information for him before they left Port Charles stressing how important her cocktail of medicines she took twice a day were to her health. He had even done more research and found her a top notch cardiologist in Tampa that took her as a patient and had studied up on natural supplements that the doctor approved that he was putting into her morning latte along with the protein powder and nutritional supplements that the doctor said were safe.

He then went into the kitchen and got her a bottle of water, the bottle of aspirin and the Pepto Bismal. Maxie wasn't a big drinker. Usually one glass of wine with dinner or the occasional cocktail was all she would drink. He had seen her get a little tipsy on champagne a few times but for the most part, Maxie didn't drink too much. She couldn't. And it bothered Jason to no end that she had decided to drink too much with the loser that was passed out next door instead of with someone she knew and trusted and was safe.

Like him.

Maxie woke up before the sun and groaned at the ball of cotton in her throat and the pounding in her head. She opened her eyes, one at a time and adjusted them to the room's darkness. She rubbed at them but that hurt so she stopped. Realizing she was in her bed, she gave a sigh of relief and then rolled on to her side to sleep some more.

When she turned she noticed first the pair of bare feet propped up on her bed. Then the pair of jeans she had bought that made Jason's ass look spectacular. Then she noticed a nice tanned six-pack of abs and a well defined chest. Then the bowed, sleeping head of Jason Johnson.

She sat up and realized it wasn't the best idea and groaned loudly pulling Jason from his sleep.

"Hey" he said as he sat up. "How are you feeling?"

"Like someone hit me with a monster truck." she replied and then tried to clear her throat to no avail.

"Here, drink this." He said handing her the now room temperature bottle of water. I also have some aspirin for you. It will help the pounding in your head."

He shook two tablets from the plastic bottle then replaced the cap making sure it snapped back so that it was again child proof.

"Thank you Jason." She said as she took the two pills from his outstretched hand and popped them in her mouth and took a long pull from the water bottle.

The water tasted so good and felt so good on her dry throat she drank it all down and handed him the empty plastic.

"I'll go get you some more." he muttered and stood but she caught his hand.

He turned and looked at her. "Thank you Jason. I mean it."

"I'll be right back. Why don't you take a swig from the Pepto so that your stomach will feel better. If you are feeling sick, there's a bucket next to the bed." he pulled his hand from hers and walked out of the room.

He returned quickly to find her sitting up. She had the pink bottle in her hands and she was looking down in shame.

"Hey, why the face?" He asked, concerned that she was thinking she had done something wrong.

"I did it again." she murmured but he heard her.

"Did what again?"

"Pulled a Maxie." she said looking up at him, tears in her eyes.

"Hey, don't cry." he said as he sat on the edge of her bed next to her and handed her the bottle of water. He pulled the Pepto Bismal out of her hands and set it on her glass end table next to the Excedrine. "What do you think you did Maxie?"

He reached up but then seeing her face, dropped his hand back down onto the bed. He was puzzled as to why he wanted to wipe her tears from her face. He'd never had that reaction before with her. He looked up when she started talking.

"Jason...I should have stayed here with you and the boys yesterday." Jason couldn't argue that so he simply nodded his head and kept his lips tightly closed so she could finish. "Robbie...he..."

"Did Robbie do something to you?" he asked suddenly enraged.

"No...well...he just treated me like...like some common tramp he and his buddies picked up at the beach bar. All of his friends treat their girlfriends so horribly, I don't know why I thought that Robbie was different."

"I do." He said and smoothed his hand across the blanket. "He's Denny and Dale's grandson. I'm having a hard time reconciling the man to being related to them too."

"Hannah...she's so sweet and nice...and even Glenn. But Robbie....I thought...I don't really know what I thought but...I'm just..."

"Just what Maxie?" he prompted wanting to know more than anything why she allowed that man to treat her the way he had been.

"I'm so lonely. And Spinelli...He...he hasn't been here in two months and...and really...with Spinelli...I'm not cut out for long distance relationships "

"Is that what you and Spinelli have?" He looked her in the eye "You have a long distance relationship?"

"Well...yes...and no. I mean...he's always going to want more from me than I want from him. And being so far away, he can't give me what I really need. But he's my best friend. He's the only one who has ever known every ugly truth about me and still remained my friend. He's the only one that loves me."

"That's not true Maxie. Lots of people love you."

"I don't mean like that Jason." She rolled her eyes and looked down at the t-shirt, finally recognizing that it was his. "Oh...I'm wearing your shirt."

"Yeah well...you didn't exactly wear enough when you left so when I went over to break up the party last night I just covered you in that." he said noticing how big the shirt was on her. "Do you remember last night?"

"Yeah...Smitty was hitting on me. He kept telling me that he was more of a man than Robbie and that he could show me what it was like to be with a real man." She looked at him and smirked. "I told him I'd pass on the offer but he didn't want to take no for an answer. But he didn't...he...I didn't..."

"I know. That's when I showed up. Do you remember that?"

"Yes. I remember everything. I didn't really drink _that_ much. I think it was just the sun and the heat and the alcohol that got to me."

"Well you really need to watch what you drink. You seemed pretty out of it Maxie. You know...do you think one of them maybe slipped you something...like that date rape drug?"

"No...I doubt it. I pretty much remember everything like I said and those guys...they are pigs and like to party but I don't think they would..."

"You never know. But as long as nothing happened and you aren't feeling bad...you are probably right about the drugs." He looked at her clock and noticed it was a quarter to five. Jake would be up any minute. "Why don't you get some more sleep? When you wake up I'll make you your favorite mushroom and swiss egg white omelet."

He stood again and Maxie once again reached out for his hand. He squeezed it back when she clung to him and he looked down at her noticing how innocent she really looked dwarfed in her king sized bed and his king sized shirt. He bent down and cradled her head with his free hand and kissed the top of her head.

"You are loved Maxie. The boys and I...Just know...you are loved." He said as she snuggled down into her covers and he pulled them up to tuck her in then turned and left the room.


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N: This has proven to be an incredibly hard chapter to write…..and I really have no idea why.**

**Oh and I didn't beta this very well, sorry...i just had to get it out of sight and out of mind. Honestly....drove me nuts this chapter.**

**Chapter 5**

Maxie was asleep when her head hit the pillow again and Jason quietly closed the door behind him. He didn't look in on the boys because he knew Jake would be in the living room any minute and Cameron would sleep another hour or two. He walked in to the living room and lay down on the couch. He pulled the afghan from the back and noticed the yellow knit no longer smelled like Elizabeth and hadn't for a long time.

He was actually surprised Maxie hadn't replaced it yet.

He rolled onto his side and looked out the glass in the front door. Eying the Watson home he made a promise to himself. He and Robert Kemp were going to have a little talk. And then he dared the boy to set foot near Maxie again.

Maxie woke up three hours later and Jason and the boys met her in the living room having just come in from their short trip to Walgreens. He picked up Maxie's prescriptions and her six or seven fashion magazines. The boys were promised toys the morning before by Maxie for picking up their rooms.  
Of course, because of Robbie, when she got home from work, she didn't follow through with taking them shopping so Jason had to do it.

"Maxie!" Jake shouted and ran up to her wrapping himself around her legs.

"Jake, leave Maxie alone, she's not feeling well." Jason said as he moved toward the kitchen. "Would you like for me to make you some breakfast?"

Eying the clock on the wall, "Or Lunch?"

"No, I'm not really hungry right now." She groaned as she picked up the three year old and moved toward the couch to sit down.

"What's the mattew Maxie? You have a tummy ache?" Jake asked as he put both of his little hands on each side of Maxie's face and squeezed. His brilliant steel blue eyes penetrated her skin and she felt a warm glow grow inside her at the affection she held for both boys. "I had a tummy ache wast night and Daddy said I ate too much candy. Did you eat too much candy?"

Maxie smiled at the little boy. She had grown so attached to him and his older brother over the past nearly two years. It was impossible to imagine her life without them in it anymore.

It was such a shock when she found out about Jason and Elizabeth and especially Jake being Jason's son and not Lucky's. At first she was hurt that Spinelli had not included her in his secret. And finding out Lulu knew hurt even more. But then reality sunk in and she had to admit, if only to herself, she would not have trusted herself with that secret either.

She would have gloated because Elizabeth had acted so morally superior to her when she faked her pregnancy with Lucky's baby and the whole affair debacle. Not that Maxie didn't realize, even if it was in hindsight, that she was wrong on so many levels when it came to Lucky Spencer. Even after the affair and the faked pregnancy, Elizabeth treated her with disdain. Yet, the whole time she was carrying another man's child and then lying for years about her youngest son's parentage. Maxie had done some really bad things in her life so she understood the instinct. She didn't really blame Elizabeth.

However, the one thing Maxie didn't do that Elizabeth thrived on, was to act like she was innocent or the victim in all of it. Maxie's faults, she owned up to. She didn't feel Elizabeth could have really said the same.

However, being thrust into a situation where those two boys relied on her didn't allow her to gloat for too long. Besides, you can't very well snark at or seek retribution from a dead woman.

Oh she'd had quite a few snide remarks for Jason though. Always making sure he knew that she would never forget how _he_ had treated her back then as well. Even up to Elizabeth's death that December Jason treated Maxie as if she were nothing more than an annoyance to him. Not that he treated her much better now but still…

It was little things he did, like rescuing her the night before and staying with her while she slept. Even agreeing to take her with him, to provide for her just like he was the two boys, was rescuing her. There was no doubt in her mind that if anyone were coming after her, within Jason's shield of protection was where she felt the safest. The whole hero complex was not lost on Maxie. She was just glad he didn't exclude her from the long list of those he would save.

"Jason just bought Jake a doctor kit. Maybe we can fix you." Cameron interrupted her thoughts holding up his own bag of goodies from the store.

"Oh yeah!" Jake exclaimed and jumped off of her lap and ran to his brother.

Maxie looked over at Jason who was pulling odds and ends out of the bags and she raised a questioning eyebrow.

"He says he's going to be a doctor." Jason shrugged. "Might as well acclimate him to his tools of the trade now."

"Didn't Jason Quartermaine want to be a doctor?" she asked and then felt guilty when she saw Jason cringe at her words. "I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay but I don't think we should say that name out loud just like we don't say the others." He said as he looked over at the boys and then moved toward her to hand her the magazines and her prescriptions. Yet another thing that Jason did for her that was a sign of his need to provide for her.

"You know, I should go ahead and order subscriptions for these instead of you picking them up at the store for me." She said absently as she started thumbing through Cosmopolitan. It wasn't lost on her that he was providing for her which is one of the main reasons she insisted on having a career. She was independent and wanted to make her own way in the world.

"I already sent them off and paid for them. They just haven't started arriving in the mail box yet. As soon as they do, I won't need to get them at the store." He replied as he tugged at the plastic surrounding Cameron's Rubic's Cube and then gave up, pulling out his pocket knife and cutting though the plastic.

Maxie smiled up at him. For someone who always seemed like she was such an intrusion and a pain in his side, he was always so thoughtful when it came to her comfort. And last night and this morning just proved it.

Jake came toddling over with his plastic blue and yellow stethoscope and immediately stuck the white circle on the end and his little fist up Jason's t-shirt that was covering Maxie's entire body.

"JAKE!" Maxie exclaimed tugging the little boy's hand from under her clothes. "You aren't supposed to stick your hand up my shirt."

"But the doctow does it to me." The little boy looked puzzled.

Jason laughed and moved back into the living room and picked Jake up. "Maybe it's time you and I had a talk about girls and boys."

"No, he's too young for that talk." She said as she stood. "He just surprised me, that's all."

She walked the two steps around the coffee table and moved toward Jason and Jake. She smiled at the little boy and took the white plastic circle and pressed it _above_ her shirt to where her heart was. "Can you hear my heart beat?"

The little boy moved with Maxie's hand guiding him around her chest. Jason couldn't help but notice her bare breasts being outlined by her movements. His eyes traveled over his t-shirt on her and then groaned, his face twisting into something between disgust and lust when he realized what was going through his mind...and his groin.

They spent the day around the house. The boys were playing in the back yard. Jason was working out with his free weights so Maxie went out back to keep an eye on the boys while thumbing through her magazines. She had already tabbed a few pages to see if she couldn't find something online similar to display in the boutique.

"Jason?" she sing-songed, looking up from her magazine to see Jason mid set, arms stretched tight, muscles glistening with sweat. Yet another reason she went out to watch the boys. Jason's weight set was in the back yard in the corner of the patio behind the huge gas grill.

Watching Jason work out was a past time she rarely missed when she was home. Sometimes she would call Hannah and they would both sit and watch. And lately, Billy had been working out too. He wasn't as good looking as Jason but his body was still in great shape. And he and Hannah had been slowly hooking up, thanks to Maxie's efforts.

So when she and Hannah caught both boys working out it was double the pleasure, double the fun.

"WWWHHHAAATTTT!" Jason grunted loudly as he hefted the barbell up above his chest.

"Do you think my boutique has enough money for me to give away a prom dress?" She was reading about Mylie Cyrus attending her prom in US magazine and suddenly had an idea.

"You mean for Brittany? Sure you could give her a dress." he said as he let out the breath and lowered the barbell with the two fifty pound weights and two twenty five pound weights on it.

"No, not for Brittany...although you know...I think that's a good idea. It will be her bonus." she set down the magazine, scanned across the yard making a mental note that Jacob was in the sandbox and Cameron was on the swing. She then walked over to the weight bench and stood towering over him.

"I was thinking...it's too late for prom but what if I advertised at Brittney's high school and held a contest somehow. The winner would get their Homecoming dress for free for the Homecoming Dance. Those things usually happen around October at the high schools. That would be plenty of time to get the word out. I'm thinking it would bring a lot of girls in to look at dresses. And with those high school girls come their mothers...and their credit cards."

Jason looked up at her to see a pleased look on her face. He didn't know anything about prom dresses or homecoming or dances but he did know that with her formal wear, if she were to sell four dresses, the profit would pay for one given away. Besides, his projections showed that by the end of summer she should be showing a decent profit.

"We could expense the dress as advertising. You know, you could make the contest for those that buy dresses from the boutique." He grunted again as he lifted the weights.

"How would we do that if they've already paid for it?" she asked.

"Well, anyone who comes in to buy a dress, you put their receipt in a bowl. Then you pull the winning receipt out of the bowl and credit that person's card for the price of the dress. That way you show the sale, collect the taxes, have use of the money while the contest is going on and then when you issue the credit, you expense it as advertising."

"That could work." she said as she watched him lower the weights again.

"It would work. That's why I said it. Your way, you'd run the risk of no one buying a dress waiting to see if they won a free one. Not really the best way to go about gaining customers."

Maxie put her hands on the barbell and pushed down as hard as she could. "You are such a jerk!"

Jason smirked and easily pushed the weights back up. Maxie tried to resist his advance and went so far as to lean her upper body onto the weights to add more weight and pressure. Still, Jason pushed her up as well as the weights. In a last ditch effort Maxie moved so that her stomach was on the bar and she pulled her legs up effectively putting all of her weight on the bar. Jason just grunted a little louder and raised her and the bar of weights up over his head, locking his arms in place.

"JASON PUT ME DOWN" Maxie yelled realizing she was literally four feet off the ground and wobbling on the bar trying to steady herself.

"Apologize for calling me a jerk." he grunted, his voice strained a little from the weight he was holding above his chest.

"NO"

"Then I'll wait you out." He said, adjusting his legs so that he was more stable and then adjusting his grip on the bar.

"You can't hold me up that long." she whined raising an eyebrow at him.

"Maxie, you only weigh about a hundred pounds soaking wet. I can bench press three hundred if I wanted to. You plus this buck fifty is nothing. Now apologize and I'll let you down."

Surprised and intrigued by his response she hesitated then asked, "Can you go up and down with me on this?"

"You mean press you and the weights?" He wasn't touching the image her question conjured up with a ten foot pole.

"Yeah"

"Will you..."

"Apologize?...sure"

"Nope, I don't want the apology anymore. I was thinking...you'd give up your spot in the garage so that I can start working on my bike."

"That hunk of junk is never going to run Jason. I don't know why _my_ car has to suffer the sun and the elements just so you can junk up the garage." she said as she wobbled down to where her head was coming close to his stomach.

It was an odd angle but she was upside down and facing the opposite way so talking with him was looking at him upside down. She used her one hand to push herself up away from his stomach and smiled when she heard him grunt.

"I'll get you a car cover."

"You have to push me and the weights up like twenty times." she bargained. She didn't really care if the car was in the garage or not. Besides, she'd just complain until Jason relented and gave up his spot in the garage for her car.

"Five" he countered.

"Fifteen"

"Ten"

"Deal"

He lowered the barbell and she stood up. "Turn around and sit down on the bar and hold on."

She did as she was told and turned with her back to him then lowered her behind, with her little pink short shorts and her white halter midriff top. She looked down at him and realized how intimate this situation would be if it were two lovers in this position. Jason's face, specifically his mouth was cradled just inside her thighs.

Jason noticed the position as well and could not believe the things he did. How did he end up in situations like this? Realizing she was staring at him and he was staring at...well...not her face, he drew in a deep breath and pushed up.

"One" she said and then held on tighter as she started to wobble.

He lowered her down while letting out a breath and then took in another and raised her up again.

"Two" she said her voice raising. "This is fun."

"Right...fun" he grunted as he breathed out.

Down and up again. "Fwee" came Jake's voice from behind Maxie and she turned quickly to see the boy and Jason lost balance tipping her and the weights to the side.

"Woah" Maxie said as he lowered her and her thighs gripped his face.

"Uh...Maxie" Jason said realizing that she had slipped off the bar and basically was practically sitting on his face.

"Oh shit" she looked down and immediately spread her legs and scooted back onto the bar. "Um...that's only three. I win."

As soon as that came out of her mouth he grunted pushing her up again. "FFFFFFOURRR"

"Shit" she said as she rose into the air again.

"Ohhhh...Maxie said bad wowds Daddy. She has to put a toy in the box." Jake said.

"What did Maxie say?" Cameron asked as he ran over from the swing.

"I'll give up my flat iron" Maxie groaned snarling at the little rat for pointing out that she cursed.

They had set up the 'bad word' box when they first all started living together mostly because Jake was repeating everything. Jason and Maxie weren't really used to being around kids all the time and it seemed like a good way to teach Jake not to say bad words and also help them curb their vocabulary to PG rated when the boys were around.

Jason had to give up his pool cue several times.

"Nope, not the flat iron...you haven't been using it lately...your" he grunted pushing her up again and Jake and Cameron both counted out eight. "your Karaoke microphone."

Taken aback that Jason even noticed she hadn't been using her flat iron then assuming he was probably just following behind her checking to make sure she didn't burn the house down she pouted.

"Everyone likes the Karaoke machine. That's not a fair take away. It's not just me that uses it."

"Only you and Hannah use it and you both sound horrible. The microphone. One week" he grunted and then "NNNNINE"

"Fine no Karao..."

"What do we have here? Not in front of the kids you two." Billy called from the gate.

"JUNIOR" Cameron yelled as he ran over to meet them.

Maxie looked up to see Billy, Junior and Hannah coming through the gate. Hannah smirking at her and Billy smiled a grin that spread the width of his face. Then she looked past them to see Robbie standing at his car watching her. She quickly scrambled off of the barbell.

Jason let out a loud OOOF when Maxie pushed off of him. He was working on pushing up for ten. He heard Billy's comment but ignored it. Billy was always making suggestive remarks and Jason would remind him that Maxie and he barely could stand each other.

"What are you three doing here?" Maxie asked quirking an eyebrow at Hannah then tugging her arm to pull her aside.

"Well, we were wondering if maybe you guys wanted to go get some pizza for dinner. I have to get Junior home by seven thirty so I was thinking we'd get an early dinner and then I'd drop him off. Hannah saw both your cars here so she suggested we see if you guys wanted to go. Ya'll didn't answer the phone so we figured you were in the yard." Billy explained.

Jason sat up from the bench and pulled the towel from the hook wiping off the sweat running down his chest. Billy walked over to the garage door, opened it, grabbed two bottles of beer from the refrigerator and walked back over handing one to Jason then twisting off the top and sucking down the cool liquid. Maxie and Hannah moved over to the lounge chairs. Hannah pulled a magazine from the pile on the fire pit table then sat back. The three boys were already arguing over who went down the slide first. The oldest Cameron, the guest Junior or the youngest Jake.

"Boy's don't fight!" Maxie yelled.

"What did we walk in on Maxie?" Hannah whispered, looking back at Jason and then smiling at Billy when he smiled back.

They weren't as pretty a couple as Maxie and Jason were but they fit really well together. She was thankful for Maxie and Jason. Had it not been for their friendships, she and Billy never would have met. This weekend was their first official date with Junior around. They had gone to the zoo the day before and had a great time. Hannah could not wait to talk about it with what was quickly becoming one of her closest friends but now she had other things she wanted to talk about first.

"Jason and I made a bet." Maxie sighed then smiled and raised her voice so the men could hear. "A BET THAT I WON!"

"No, you gave up. You lost!" Jason pointed his beer bottle at her with a smirk.

"I did not Jason! You only got to nine you ninny!" she stood and put her hands on her hips.

"Yep, I got to nine and was starting on ten and you jumped off the barbell. You quit so I won." He moved toward her. "I'm pulling the bike from the shed and your car is now officially parked in the driveway from now on."

"No it's NOT!" she shouted and punched him in the gut to make her point. He grabbed her hands to stop her assault from going further.

"Uh...Maxie? Can I talk to you a minute?"

All heads turned toward the fence where Robbie was now standing. Jason pulled Maxie by the arm behind him and looked Robbie in the eye.

"She has nothing to say to you. You need to leave." Jason growled.

"I was talking to Maxie." Robbie responded with a bit of a spark to his own tone.

"Well I'm talking to you. Get out of here. No one wants you here."

"Jason..." Maxie grabbed his forearm. "He's Hannah's brother remember?"

"That's okay." Hannah murmured looking at her brother and then back at Jason and Maxie as she stood from her chair. "I already heard from Joanne, Rick's girlfriend, what happened last night. You know...Nana and Papa didn't say you could stay at their house so that you could trash it. You're a real piece of work Robert."

"Shut up Hannah, no one asked you." Robbie spit back at his sister.

"Hey bubba...I don't really care that she's your sister. Speak to her with some respect when you are around me. Ya hear me boy?" Billy responded moving toward Hannah and wrapping a strong arm around her shoulders.

"I got your boy, dude." Robbie rolled his eyes. "Maxie? Can we talk?"

Maxie went to move and Jason held onto her hand that was still resting on his forearm. "No Maxie. Don't you remember what happened last night? Our talk this morning?"

"I remember Jason but I'm still going to talk to him." She sighed as she looked up into his eyes. She could see the concern and anger reflected in them. Concern for her, anger toward Robbie. "I'll just be a minute."

"I don't like this."

"Yeah well...you're not the boss of me so let go."

Those few words were like a bucket of cold water over Jason. His day was officially shot. He was pissed. They had been having a good day. Now Maxie was tossing it aside, once again to make a colossally bad decision. In all the years he had known Maxie, she just couldn't walk away from trouble even if it were wearing a neon sign that said "Danger Danger"

"Boys, go inside and play video games." Jason barked and all three boys recognized the tone and took off for the back doors to the house.

Jason stood still as long as he could but when he watched as Maxie and Robbie talked quietly and then Maxie went toward the gate and Robbie opened it for her he had to move. And loudly.

He tossed his beer bottle into the trashcan where it promptly exploded into shards of glass in the metal container. He then stalked over to the fence.

"Maxie you need to get inside and check on the boys." He growled, never letting his eyes stray from the man who held her attention.

"Maxie, why don't we go get something to eat. We can go to the little cafe on Ulmerton Boulevard that you like so much. That way we can talk this out in private." Robbie said wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

"She's not going anywhere with you." Jason took a threatening step toward Robbie reaching out for Maxie's arm to pull her from his clutches.

"Jason what are you doing?" Maxie asked, her brows knit in confusion.

"What am I doing? Maxie, what are you doing? This guy got you shitty drunk last night then passes out so that his friends could leach all over you. He's treated you like...like crap Maxie. What happened to staying away from him? What happened to all that you said this morning?"

"You know what man...being a big brother is one thing but you are stepping over the line here. Maxie wants to go with me so she'll go with me." Robbie interjected.

"He's not my big brother" "I'm not her big brother" Maxie and Jason both said in unison.

"Then it's settled. You don't have anything to say about what Maxie and I do." Robbie said as he threaded his fingers with Maxie's. He turned and started walking toward his car, pulling Maxie with him. "Come on babe. Let's leave these lame asses."

Jason watched as Maxie followed behind Robbie then got into his car. His fury building higher and higher as he watched the mustang peal out of the alleyway, kicking up dust and pebbles as Robbie spun his tires in a show of triumph at Jason's glaring figure.

All Jason could do was watch them disappear into the summer sun.

"Hey, why don't you go put something on and let's all go get some pizza." Billy broke the silence.

Jason looked up at him, then at Hannah who had a look of remorse and embarrassment over what her brother had just done.

"Yeah...let me get a quick shower, I'll be ten minutes max." Jason said quietly.

"I'll go get your boys ready. They looked like they needed at least a change of clothes." Hannah said as she quickly moved to follow Jason into the house, throwing back a fearful smile and a shrug at Billy.

~%~%~%~%~%~

Jason was pissed but knew there was nothing he could do about it. In all reality, Maxie was an adult. She got to make her own decisions even if they were horribly bad ones. He just had to accept that fact and move on.

He was sitting staring at the beer bottle, peeling the label off with his fingernails. He hadn't eaten a bite. Had barely said ten words and was still nursing his first beer.

"Dude, snap out of it. She'll be okay. Robbie is an asshole but he won't..."

"Won't what?" Jason looked up. "He already did."

"Technically it wasn't him." Billy already knew the story because Jason and he had talked briefly on the phone that morning about the events of the previous night.

"Technically I want to ram my fist down his throat." Jason replied then cringed when he heard Hannah clear her throat. "Sorry, I know he's your brother but..."

"It's okay." she smiled back at Jason. "I know what you mean. I want to punch him myself at times."

She looked across the restaurant at the boys playing airhockey. Jake was standing on a chair so she figured Jason needed a man to man talk and she would go attend to the boys. "I'm going to go get the boys under control. We probably need to head out to get Junior home pretty soon."

Jason and Billy looked up at her and Billy smiled his crooked grin at her. Thankful she understood Jason needed to talk.

"Hey man. She'll be okay."

"You know what Billy, I don't give a rats ass anymore."

"Sure you do man. Maxie's like your little sister."

"No she's not!"

"Okay?..." Billy was hesitant. He didn't quite understand the dynamic between Maxie and Jason. Sometimes he thought that there was an attraction underneath all of the friction but sometimes he figured it was a familial level of relating to each other. Just like brothers and sisters. "So...Maxie's not your sister....Is there maybe something... is she something more?"

The familiar words that Billy had no idea he had said caused Jason to shoot up out of his seat. "There is nothing....NOTHING...more between Maxie and me. I loved...her sister."

He sighed and sat back down scrubbing his hand over his face then peeking over the top of his hand at his friend across the table. Obviously Billy was shocked by the ire in his declaration. "Billy..."

"Hey no problem man. I was just...I mean...you said yourself that Maxie and...uh...Beth?"

"Elizabeth"

"Yeah...Elizabeth...you said the two weren't even close. That you hardly knew Maxie. It's almost two years later. Isn't it possible..."

"No" Jason cut him off. "It's not possible."

"Okay man. That's cool. Although it would be really cool if me and Hannah and you and Maxie..." He saw the look on Jason's face and backed down. "Uh...yeah...okay...well then we need to find you a nice girl Jason Johnson. You need a woman."

Jason groaned. That's exactly what he had been thinking lately. Elizabeth was never coming back and his hand was not exactly giving him what he needed as a man lately.

As if reading his mind, the sound of a sultry voice sent the hairs on his neck standing at attention.

"Well hey guys? Fancy running into you here?" she cooed as she slid up next to Jason.

"Where are the girls?" she asked as she drew a little circle on the center of Jason's left bicep.

Jason looked to his left and followed the perfectly manicured toes in the tan sandals up the long, tanned and toned legs that looked smooth as silk. A short white skirt hugged her slim hips and her bright green blouse was tied at her waist showing just a hint of a tanned and tone stomach. Traveling further, Jason let his eyes linger at her pert breasts. They were larger, he likened them to the size of Sam's, maybe a C or a barely D size. The cleavage was being pushed out of a tight white bra that he could see the edges of peeking out of the low buttoned blouse. Finally he rested on her face, framed in auburn curls that were highlighted a golden strawberry blond by the summer's sun. A sprinkling of summer freckles were across her cheeks and her nose.

She was pretty, fit and would satisfy his need for a romp in the bedroom.

"Hey Julia" Jason's baritone voice purred her name across his lips.

"Hannah's over there with the boys." Billy pointed out, realizing as soon as he did that neither Jason nor Julia were paying any attention to him.

Billy sat there uncomfortable as his friend undressed Julia Peyton-Wainright with his eyes. "Where's Cookie?" he asked.

Julia never even glanced over in Billy's direction. "It's her father's week. I just came up to grab a beer or two...maybe play some pool. Watch the ballgame."

Words that were music to Jason's ears. "Well Billy and Hannah are about to leave to take Junior home. I was going to take the boys. Put them in the tub and then maybe an early night. They stayed up pretty late last night. Would you want to come play pool at my house? We can watch the game from there and I've got a fridge full of beer."

"I thought you'd never ask Jason." she purred.

"Good, I'll grab up the boys and head home. See you in a few minutes?" Jason asked as he stood, threw down a couple of twenties on the table to cover his one beer and the pizza they ordered. He knew forty bucks was more than enough including a tip.

He walked Julia up to the bar where she indicated she had her keys and purse and her own beer waiting. "Finish your beer. Take your time. I'll get the boys in the bath and set up a game on the pool table." He said to her as he intimately moved his hand to the small of her back drawing circles with his thumb then flashed his piercing blue eyes at her hazel ones.

"I'll see you soon." she smiled back and tucked her hair behind her ears.

"I can't wait." he nodded and then turned to get the boys and race home.

He needed to get the boys in the bath, change his sheets and rummage through his junk drawer for a condom. Then he thought better and looked over at Billy.

"Hey...you got a couple of condoms on you?" he asked his friend.

"Uh...yeah two but..."

"Billy, you can stop at the store on your way home. I can't exactly do that quickly with the two boys."

"You mean you don't have any at home?"

"Not any that are less that two years old."

"Dude" Billy said in shock at Jason's admission. "No wonder you're moving so fast. Can't say I blame you there. Besides, once you get past Julia's snotty assed attitude, she's a looker."

"Huh?" Jason didn't even consider what he was saying, he was just waiting for his friend to hand over the condoms. He figured one would be enough but two would be great just in case.

"Nevermind. Have fun man. You need to release some pent up energy. You deserve it. See ya at work tomorrow."

Billy discretely handed over the condoms and then they parted ways after gathering up the boys and Hannah and heading to the parking lot. Jason gave a quick look back at the bar and smiled to himself when, as expected, Julia was watching him and then blew him a kiss.

He was getting back into the swing of things. Climbing back up on the horse. Stepping back up to the plate.

Getting LAID.

~%~%~%~%~%~

"Was that Julia Peyton-Wainright I just saw pulling out of the driveway?"

"What the fuck's it to you?" Jason grumbled as he took the empty beer bottles to the kitchen.

"Well that's nice. Real nice."

"You do realize it's damn near ten o'clock. That cafe closed two hours ago."

"I...I left there and since it was only about a mile, I walked. I stopped at the Town Square where they are planning the new park."

"YOU WALKED?" He blew up at her, slamming the beer bottles into the recycle bin so loudly he wouldn't be surprised if the boys woke up.

"I...yeah." she sighed as she slumped down in the new chair she had bought that matched the ratty old leather couch she had yet to replace.

"You are so stupid Maxie. You could have been attacked. And where the fuck is that idiot boyfriend of yours?"

"He got pissed so he left."

"He left you at the cafe?" He was standing in front of her towering over her. "What a fucking asshole. You'll never learn Maxie."

He shook his head and turned his back to her.

"You know what...I don't need the lecture right now Jason." her voice was raising just as loud as his.

The fight was rolling and she wasn't backing down.

"What you need is a goddamn leash, a muzzle and a freaking clue Maxie. That guy is no good. I really don't care who his family is. You even said so yourself. What was it?...he treated you like a common tramp?" He stormed across the room pacing back and forth.

Maxie stood and her tightly clenched fists immediately found her hips. The fight waged on with barbs and insults flying back and forth. The whole argument getting louder but not loud enough to wake the kids. These two were experienced at late night, after the boys are asleep fighting.

"And you are a first class jerk that needs to mind his own business and back off of me. I didn't ask for all of this."

"Neither did I"

"Really?"

"Not babysitting you I didn't. You're impossible and take stupid risks and pick horrible men to date."

"And you are pig headed, cruel and bossy and...and...And you slept with that nasty, snobby woman that named her kid COOKIE!"

He laughed. He couldn't help it. He heard her last statement and started deep down in the gut belly laughing. He doubled over and fell onto the couch.

"It really is a stupid name. Jake and I both agree on that one."

Maxie started laughing at his admission and could actually imagine Jake on Jason's lap discussing the stupidity of the girls name. She plopped down beside him on the couch. "Every time I see that little girl I start singing the Cookie Monster song in my head."

Jason looked at her his eyebrows knit to a V.

"C is for cookie, that's good enough for me." Maxie started singing in a raspy grunting voice.

"You're restricted from Karaoke...remember?"

"Right...well just the microphone technically."

"Technically." Jason muttered and looked down at his hands. He thought for a few moments while it was a nice peaceful quiet.

He listened to Maxie's breathing. "Why didn't you just call me to come get you?"

"I didn't have my phone. Actually I didn't have anything."

"I noticed." he pointed to her purse sitting on the counter with her keys and her phone next to it. "You still could have borrowed the cafe's phone."

"I don't know the number's by heart...and before you start yelling at me, I already yelled at myself on my walk home. I'll have them memorized by tomorrow night, you watch."

More easy silence wafted through the air.

"I didn't sleep with Julia" Jason admitted.

He wasn't sure why he said it. He just really wanted Maxie to know that fact.

When Julia showed up she was like a vulture. He tried to get her to slow down but she was ready. They made out like teenagers but it was a little distracting that she was so aggressive. She was shoving her tongue down his throat. He was turned on by her but then he figured...with two years without sex, he'd probably get turn on by just about any woman.

As soon as he put the boys to bed she practically attacked him on the pool table. He tried to hold her off. He tried to take control He was a man after all. He liked women that let him make the moves at first. He still was giving it the old college try and she was near to giving him a blow job...just one zipper away when he saw Maxie's purse sitting on the counter.

He couldn't concentrate on anything except that Maxie was out without her purse, her medication, her phone, her keys. With what she was wearing when she left, he was sure she had no money and she was with a jackass that passed out the night before while she was being groped by his friends.

Then he looked down at the red-head on her knees in front of him and he felt sick to his stomach.

"You didn't sleep with her?"

He shook his head 'no'

"I told Robbie I never wanted to go out with him again. That's why he left me. I told him what a class A jerk he was."

"Good"

"So you don't like her?"

"What's that word you always use....she gives me the skivves."

"Promise?" she asked looking up into his blue eyes shining from the moonlight coming in through the windows.

He smiled and grabbed her hand that was on her lap. He tugged her toward his side and wrapped an arm around her shoulders placing a kiss on top of her head as he chuckled, "Promise"


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

It was late August. Cameron was starting school in one week and Jacob was finally speaking without lisps or mispronunciation of any consonants or vowels. Oddly, it was a song that Hannah's mother, Vonnie, used with her children when they were little. It was an old Irish drinking pub song called Lilly the Pink. And by summers end, Maxie, Hannah and the boys even had Jason humming the ridiculous tune.

Of course he always said it was to help his sons speech when he was caught but strangely enough, Jacob Martin Johnson was never around when Maxie would bust the brooding ex mobster.

The summer had taken on a sort of bizarre family existence within the household at 538 Fourth Street. First, Maxie was learning to cook. She was even taking classes on the matter. However, the boys and even she, herself preferred Jason's cooking or take-out. Yet she insisted that she needed to learn. Besides, Hannah was taking the class as well. The two twenty-four year old girls had truly become inseparable over the summer.

The same went for Jason and Billy. They had so many common interests. They were very close in age, Jason thirty six and Billy thirty two. Plus the fact that Junior and Cameron were fast becoming friends. They worked together, their kids played together, they enjoyed working out, playing pool or tinkering on Billy's newly found 1970 Chevelle muscle car or Jason's 1966 Triumph Bonneville classic motorcycle.

To the girls, both machines were useless pieces of junk but Jason and Billy had worked hard through the summer to prove them wrong. The men spent hours upon hours fixing the two machines. The two antiques had undergone mechanical and cosmetic restorations to bring them back to their original forms. And both were a paint job away from completion. Both boys were boasting a race they would have, one against the other, within weeks when they unveiled their new 'old' masterpieces.

As suspected, Maxie took back the garage without much trouble when the summer storms started interfering with Jason's down time. Maxie would call him to move the truck so she could pull in since it was raining. Or she would ask him to go start the car and bring it around to the front where she had less distance to the car exposed to the elements to ruin her dress, shoes, hair or whatever her superficial complaint was. Finally Jason _offered_ for her to park in the garage because of the storms that seemed to pop up out of nowhere. Maxie smiled and ran to her room to text Hannah that it had only taken three weeks.

A big change at the start of the summer was that Maxie was spending more afternoons at home. She would open the shop in the mornings and many days, except Thursdays, she would let Brittany close the store for her so she could be at home with the boys or shopping with Hannah or at her cooking class. The boys loved their daycare so she would take them in early, handle all of her business at the boutique and by three, head home.

Jason had noticed Maxie's behavioral change since her break up with Robbie. She was starting to be the old meddling Maxie. Boredom was not good for Maxie. Boredom led to plans. Plans led to scheming. Scheming led to wild plots and wild plots led to her need to be rescued from whatever mess she got herself into.

He called Spinelli a few times and even asked if maybe Mac could come visit. Spinelli had been overloaded with a case. Counterfeit artifacts were being sold on the internet and the trails were long and nearly unhackable so the FBI had him working on it twenty four seven. Mac had also been busy with the trials of the Zacharra's and Sonny Corinthos. Just keeping Sonny from being killed was taking up all of his time. He was safest being kept at the PCPD instead of Pentonville. But that meant Mac practically lived at the precinct.

Hannah started dating Billy, thanks to some creative prodding and plotting by Maxie. Since Jason and Billy were inseparable it hardly took Maxie much effort to make the match. Jason would roll his eyes or flat out growl at her to mind her own business. Maxie didn't care. His pleas would fall on deaf ears as Maxie made sure that Hannah was always over when Billy was there. She would show up with Hannah in tow when the men were spending the day with the boys and anytime they all went to dinner, she made the excuse that she and Jason were both left handed to have Hannah and Billy sitting opposite them in the booth.

But the one thing she didn't factor in her matchmaking was that once they truly started dating, their time would want to be spent alone with each other more than out with Maxie and Jason as friends. So Jason was left to try to keep Maxie as occupied as possible.

She was lonely. She needed adult interaction. And he, Billy and Hannah were her only true sources. So when she turned her attention to the dark blond, icy blue eyed roommate, Jason could hardly do anything but beg her to refrain from interfering and resign himself to the trouble that would eventually come from Maxie's meddling.

Although they had been spending all their time together, Billy and Hannah had been steadily fixing Jason up with different friends of theirs. He'd gone on a few dates but none of the women really struck his fancy and that was just fine with Maxie. None of them were ever good enough for Jason anyway. Either they were too fat, too thin, didn't dress right, had freckles or webbed feet or anything else Maxie could find to disparage the women to Jason. And Maxie started showing up on his dates. Or calling with lies about the boys asking for him or needing him to come home.

It didn't really matter to Jason though because he never seemed to click with the women either. Rarely was there a second date. Only one caught his attention for a handful of dates but it turned out she was still married and trying to get back at her husband for cheating on her. Maxie had vetted that information and was waiting up to tell him as soon as he got home from date number three. Date number four was confirmation that Maxie was telling the truth when he mentioned what he had heard. The woman didn't deny it and Jason ended it there having no desire to be used to make her husband finally take notice of her.

The desire for some meaningless sex was still prevalent but the women never made it to the threshold of the door. He just couldn't do it now that he was a father. Someone responsible for the lives that lived under his roof. He couldn't imagine explaining to Cam or Jake who the woman was in Daddy's bed so he simply didn't go there. And there was no way the boys would ever wake up and him not be there. So his memories and "private" time was what he settled for.

But the fact remained that Maxie was becoming possessive and protective of Jason. When he would work at the boutique and women paid attention to him, she became incensed. Jason hadn't noticed but he overheard Maxie telling Hannah over the phone that traffic had tripled on Thursday afternoons but that sales had not. She said women flocked to her store to watch Jason as he unloaded boxes, changed light bulbs, repaired or erected shelves or whatever odd or end Maxie had on her list for him to do that week.

Both blond roommates had been struggling with underlying tensions, jealousies and strange new unexplainable feelings between them.

On a particularly fun Sunday when the boys went with Junior and his mother to the movies and then out for pizza, they all decided to take Billy's two jet ski's out in the Bay. All four had a blast. Jason loved the feel of the jet ski. It was very reminiscent of riding a motorcycle. The turns were intense and the speeds, although not quite as fast, were still neck breaking. And Maxie on the back, holding on to him and screaming her lungs out caused a strange pang in his heart.

They were driving back to Billy's place to drop off the jet ski's and then planned to go out for a late lunch and a few beers before the boys were to come home. They were in Billy's truck and Maxie was on Jason's lap with Hannah on the seat between him and Billy. Maxie was animatedly talking, gesturing wildly, about the wave Jason had jumped with her on back. A large boat had gone speeding by and Jason could not resist the urge to get airborne. And she kept wiggling on his lap. He tried to stop her hips from moving but she was too into her version of their death defying feat to notice.

Finally, Jason grabbed onto her hips with bruising force and gritted out through his clenched teeth "Maxie stop moving."

As soon as Maxie stopped, puzzled by the request, she felt it. Jason had grown hard from her grinding on his lap and he was literally throbbing against her bikini covered rear end. They didn't even have towels or shorts separating them from his surf trunks and her bathing suit. His thin material and hers did little to hide the feel of each others flesh. Maxie gasped at the feel of the steel hard thick shaft pulsating underneath her. She jumped up, hit her head and then impaled herself back down into his lap.

"OH MY GOD JASON YOU HAVE A HARD ON!"

The only thing Jason could do was groan because the added friction and stimuli from her pounding down on his lap did nothing to ease his predicament. However, the rage burst out of him when Maxie announced to their two friends his predicament.

They were at the corner of Missouri Avenue and Belair and Jason quickly jumped out of the vehicle at the red light, shoving Maxie back into the seat he had occupied and quickly grabbed his wallet and phone from the dashboard.

"Jason what are you doing?" Billy yelled out the window.

"I'll walk home." he announced.

"That's like fifteen miles man, come on get back in." Billy pleaded with his friend while trying to keep a straight face.

"Fine with me. Fifteen miles is good exercise." He replied, his back to the group facing the enclosure for the bus stop that was hopefully shielding him and his bulging pants from most onlookers.

"Jeez Jason...what's the big deal...so you got all hot with me on your lap. I have that affect on men. Besides, you haven't had sex in like...three years so I'm really surprised you don't get that way when the wind blows." Maxie yelled out the window.

"MAXIE" Hannah hit her friend in the shoulder for her insensitive comment.

A horn honked and Billy looked up to see that the light was green. Knowing his friend well enough to know they weren't going to change his mind, especially after Maxie's comment, he yelled goodbye and said call him if he wanted him to come back and pick him up.

Jason sat down on the bus stop bench and mentally berated himself and his body for betraying him so. And cursing Maxie.

That was nearly two weeks ago and tensions around the Johnson house had not eased in the slightest. When Jason got home that night he and Maxie fought. Mostly because Maxie was teasing him. Then Jason uncharacteristically made an underhanded comment about not being turned on by little girls who slept their way through every man she met. Manipulating them, using them and even going so far as to feed their drug habits for their attention. Then he finished it off by saying he would never have a desire to be with trash like her.

Although Maxie could not deny that was how she was back in Port Charles, she had certainly tried and mostly succeeded in changing her ways of using men for sex. She had only been with Robbie and surely he could not believe she was the one doing the using in that short lived relationship. Then there was Spinelli but she hadn't seen him since they had first moved there and that was nearly six months ago.

She ran to her bedroom crying and didn't come out for at least a day. They had not spoken since.

But now, there was a hurricane heading straight for them. Hurricane Fiona was traveling right behind Tropical Storm Earl headed for the coast of Mexico near Texas when the stronger storm took a drastic turn, shocking even the most respected meteorologist in its near one hundred eighty degree turn back toward the Florida coast. It was gaining speed but was expected to hit at a category two in the next forty eight hours.

Maxie and Jason had no choice but to talk to prepare for the impending storm.

An evacuation was being waged but Jason decided they would wait out the storm at their home. He had the stronger shingles put on his roof at Mr. Watson's suggestion. He had also done the same for Maxie's boutique. He then installed the electric hurricane shutters on every window in the house and her boutique. Therefore, he had done what he could to protect the two structures.

Maxie went to the store and bought enough essentials, candles, batteries, charcoal, water and ice to last them for three weeks. She was terrified and Jason knew it, but she was outwardly showing strength. If for no one else but the boys.

Hannah had called her grandparents since they were literally on the road headed home. The Watsons decided to go to Jacksonville to visit their niece and her family to wait out the storm. Then she asked Billy and Jason if they would help her brothers secure the plywood to the Watson's house. All four men had the house boarded up within two hours.

Jason invited Hannah and Billy to come wait out the storm with them but Billy declined saying that he and Hannah were going to go stay at the animal shelter to help with all of the farm animals and pets. Hannah was a veterinary tech for the equestrian department of the University of South Florida and they had lots of animals at their facility plus a stable full of Clydesdale horses that Bush Gardens housed there during the busy tourist season.

The boys were scared since the power had flashed on and off a couple of times so Jason and Maxie made a pallet on the floor and were playing games with the boys by candlelight.

"Jason?"

"Hmmm"

"Are you still mad at me?"

"Maxie, I never was mad at you." Jason replied as he moved the candle to search for the gumdrop mountains to move the Diego piece since he pulled that card. "Jake, your turn."

"You were too mad at me." she shifted to sit on her legs since she was starting to go numb in the indian style position she had been in for the past hour. "and before you say anything, I want to say I'm sorry."

"Maxie, you...you don't need to apologize." Jason sighed as he helped Jake count the two purple squares his Backpack piece was to move to.

Maxie turned over the card from the Candy Land game and moved Dora to the next yellow square. "Yes I do. I'm really sorry I embarrassed you. I know it wasn't me that you were reacting to. It just freaked me out and...."

"Maxie..." Jason cut her off. "I don't think now is the time to discuss subjects of this nature. Not around the boys....Cam, no cheating or we won't play."

"I don't wanna play this baby game." Cam pouted as he moved the Boots piece back to the correct space his card indicated.

Maxie patted the curly headed boy on his leg. "Cameron Webster Johnson we played your game and now we are playing the one Jacob wanted to play."

"It's not a baby game CAM!" Jake shouted trying to keep his tears in check.

Cameron had been picking on his brother lately. Maxie and Jason had been having a heck of a time dealing with Cameron's mean streak and Jacob's hurt feelings ever since they had bought Cameron's school supplies. The boy had been relentless since he was gearing up for school knowing that he was transitioning to elementary school while Jake was still staying in daycare.

"Alright you two. Why don't we lay down and go to sleep? We'll finish this game in the morning." Jason said as she stood, stretching his muscles. He picked up the board from the floor and moved it to the table to resume the next morning. If the weather allowed.

Maxie busied herself with the boys, situating pillows and snuggling in between them while Jason headed to his bedroom to check the weather on his laptop. He found that the storm was moving fast but had been downgraded to a category one and was expected to hit land within the next four hours passing over Fort Myers so the winds, tornadoes and lightning was expected to be much less for the Largo area.

Ten minutes later he shut down his laptop to conserve the battery. He walked toward the living room to check on Maxie and the kids when he heard her telling them a story. He leaned up against the threshold of his door and watched as the petite blond, whose hair had grown quite a bit longer over the summer, ran her fingers through both boys hair and then down their arms and then back up again.

"Your Mommy was a nurse. She was the best nurse ever. She did surgery and everything."

"What's a surgery Maxie?" the spiky blond on her left asked as he climbed up onto her lap and faced her, laying his head on her chest so she could run her fingers up and down his back as Jason had seen her do a million times before to get him to sleep.

"A surgery is when a doctor and a nurse have to cut your skin to fix something underneath it. Maybe they have to take out your appendix or fix a super bad tummy ache called a hernia."

"Mommy had a surgery after the fire cause she cut her leg saving Jake." Cameron murmured half asleep.

"Yes she did. And you know never to play with matches again don't you Cam."

"Mmmhmmm" he replied as he rolled into her side and threw an arm over his little brothers legs.

Jason watched, amazed that Maxie always told them stories about their mother. Jason had asked her once about it and she told him that she would make sure they remembered her and eventually he could take over telling his boys more stories about their mom...when he was ready.

Maxie continued telling the story about the time that Spinelli was in the hospital and their Mommy was his special nurse. She told them how well she took care of Spinelli and was nice to her because she was so scared for her friend. Finally the boys were asleep and Maxie just kept rubbing their backs to make sure they were sleeping soundly.

Jason moved into the room and picked up Jake first. "I'll take them into my room. They can sleep with me tonight."

Maxie nodded and once Jake was off her lap she stood herself and started folding the yellow afghan and draped it over the back of the couch in it's proper spot.

That was another thing Jason noticed. Whenever the boys were wanting to hear stories about their mom, Maxie always wrapped them all up in the yellow afghan that had become the symbol of their mother. Jason's heart always constricted with admiration and respect for Maxie. The two women never got along but Maxie made it her mission to make sure the boys always knew how much their mother loved them. Jason figured it was partly her way of respecting Elizabeth's memory but also something she felt was missing from her own childhood since Felicia and Frisco had basically abandoned her and Georgie. There was not much for the boys to have of Elizabeth's so the stories and the afghan had become the unspoken sign of her presence in the boys lives.

Jason grabbed up Cameron and headed to bed. Maxie headed to her own room after blowing out all the candles lit in the house, grabbing a bottle of water and checking to make sure she had her cell phone and a radio and flashlight on her bedside table.

Two hours later Jason was awakened by shuffling in the bed. The storm had picked up and tree limbs and debris could be heard flying around outside. Rain was pouring down and hitting the metal storm shutters. But the shuffling in the bed, to his surprise, was Maxie.

Without a word, he scooted over and cradled Cameron to his chest as Maxie picked Jake up and laid him in her arms. Once she was comfortable, Jason shifted, void of sound, and pulled Maxie and Jacob into him. He draped his arm over her shoulder so that the two adults cradled both boys between them, He heard her contented sigh and a whispered '_I was scared.'_ and smiled as he drifted back to sleep.

His family safe and sound.

~%~%~%~%~%~%~

The storm had passed and the town had not been hit too hard. Cameron was in school and thriving. Each night he and Jacob had new stories to tell at the dinner table, Now that the big kids were in school, Sally O'Rourke was doing more things with the toddlers. Maxie and Jason loved listening to Jake tell the stories of music class and learning the alphabet and Cameron was learning to read and write and do simple math.

The Watsons had returned home and Hannah and Billy had wonderful news for everyone at the celebration bar-b-que for the older couple's return. It seemed Billy had proposed to Hannah on horseback when they were caring for the animals during the hurricane.

And she said yes.

Jason had known he was going to do it and had even helped him pick out the one carat pear shaped diamond ring. The storm kind of blew his plans to propose on the beach at sunset but when the timing presented itself with both of them riding a horse, he took advantage of the romantic setting. Jason took a couple of punches to the gut when Maxie realized he knew but then she freely admitted she would have probably told Hannah and it would have ruined the surprise of the proposal.

The bosses daughter was getting married also and his crew had been invited to the wedding. It was a fancy affair. His bosses wife was a prominent lawyer in Tampa and they were celebrating their daughter's reception at the Cove Cay Country club over in Clearwater.

Ever since the invitation came in the mail, Maxie had been beside herself. She ordered a special dress and shoes and accessories. She stopped by Jason's work to specifically ask his boss what his daughters colors were. Both men looked at her like she had three heads but Maxie talked his wifes cell phone number out of him and she called the mother of the bride to ensure her dress was not in line with the bridal parties colors.

That would be tacky.

She also offered a free dress to the bride for the dinner rehearsal. She called it a wedding gift but Jason knew she was already networking for new clients to the boutique.

And she had succeeded.

The daughter got the free cocktail dress, which only cost Maxie around two hundred dollars and the mother and future mother in law as well as the sister and sister in law all bought dresses from there as well. In the end, Maxie profited three hundred dollars from the foursome.

It was the day of the wedding and Jason walked out of the dressing room at the boutique in the Ralph Lauren single breasted two button navy blue suit with the light blue dress shirt and matching metallic light blue tie. Maxie had insisted he needed the new suit from a famous designer. She said no escort of hers could be seen in an off the rack suit from Sears. It would ruin _her_ reputation.

Jason didn't even want to go to the wedding but Maxie had her heart set on it. She wanted to get out and rub elbows with the elite of the elite. He remembered her argument to convince him they should gol

"_Your bosses wife is a partner in the leading law firm in this city. There are going to be lots of local celebrities and very wealthy people. All I do is talk kindergarten and Spongebob. I want to have one night where I'm in my old element. One night where there are nothing but adults and they are talking about things like politics and fashion and world issues not diaper rashes and private schools and OshKosh B'gosh. Johnny and I really went to a lot of high society parties for Crimson. Plus all the benefits for the hospital and the Nurses Ball. I just want to get that rush again. I want to get all dressed up and sip champagne and eat caviar and truffles. Even if it's just this once."_

And how could Jason tell her no after that heartfelt plea.

"It fits...it's fine." He mumbled as she tugged at his collar one more time.

"Of course it's fine...it's Ralph Lauren silly. Honestly Jason have you learned nothing living with me for the past two years. I mean I know you are an expert in Levi's and Hanes but when it comes to dressing in style...I'm your go to girl." She smiled up at him as she tugged his tie loose and patted him on the chest.

"Whatever..." he replied and pulled her hands from his chest and started back toward the dressing rooms.

"You know..." Jason studied himself in the three way mirror. "I should have bought off the rack Maxie...people from work won't understand."

"Oh yes they will...we have money put away...I own a high end fashion boutique so I have access to the designer." Looking him up and down she thinned her lips and wrinkled her forehead in thought "You should really model in your spare time."

A high school girl in the boutique made an agreeing comment and a woman passing by the window with her friend stopped in. "That suit would look perfect on my husband."

"Lady, after tonight...you can have it." Jason offered then marched into the dressing room and started removing his clothes.

"No you can't but I can certainly get you one." Maxie commented as she pulled the suit jacket, then the dress shirt then the trousers from the dressing room door. Once she had his full suit in her hands she moved over to the counter. "What are your husband's sizes and I'll have one here for you by next week."

She took the woman's order and her credit card for a deposit on the two thousand dollar suit. They picked out the colors of the dress shirt and tie she wanted and discussed the charity gala he would be wearing it to the following month. Then Maxie showed her some elegant gowns she could order for the older woman that the suit would compliment. In fifteen minutes, the woman had ordered a dress and shoes and then bought two purses and a casual dress that were on display. In all, she had put down a five hundred dollar deposit on five thousand dollars worth of merchandise and had taken a handful of cards for her friends that lived in the oceanfront gated community up the street.

And the plan was born...now Maxie would add mens high end fashion in a small section at the boutique. In her mind she already had Jason knocking out walls and possibly adding on to the room. Maybe a loft for her office so they could open up that space for a men's dressing room.

Jason left to pick up the boys that were at the park with Brittany who had walked down there with the boys so Maxie and Jason could finish his final suit fitting with the tailor. He took the boys to Billy's for a sleep over. Hannah and Billy decided not to go to the wedding because they had Junior that weekend so they offered to keep the boys. Jason would drop off the suit next door to Maxie's salon for a one hour dry clean and press, then go home to shower and shave. Maxie was getting her hair done and would be ready for him to pick her up at five so they would be at the wedding in time for the six o'clock church wedding.

He was sitting in her car waiting in the parking after he had gone in the dry cleaner and changed into his suit in the cleaners bathroom. He noticed the door opening and a flurry of activity when Maxie walked out of the spa. Jason's heart beat sped up a bit. She was stunning.

Her hair was fashioned into an up-do with wispy hair sticking out from the back. He likened it to like a peacock but it looked good. Her bangs came down and covered one eye. The color of her hair was like the beautiful white sand on the beaches of West Florida. Her skin a golden tan. Her eyes the color of the water in Indian Rocks Beach. A brilliant blue with little flecks of gold and green interspersed. Her dress matched his tie perfectly. It looked like it was even the same material. Her dress was fitted to cut straight across her bosom. The strapless push up bra showed off the soft mounds being confined within the dress. It was cinched and gathered at the waist to make ripples but then smoothed out to end just above her knee then curved around her legs and down so in the back it fanned out in pleats to make a sort of train essentially turning the cocktail dress into full length formal wear. The straps of the dress were sparkly clear rhinestones and she also had on a rhinestone tennis bracelet and the clip holding her hair up in the back was rhinestone as well. Her earrings was a hanging strand of five rhinestones that were the same size and shape of the dresses straps but ended in a sapphire blue tear drop which matched her satin navy blue bubble shaped purse which also had matching rhinestone straps. Her look ended with her navy blue satin peep toe pumps with shiny silver four inch stiletto heels that matched the silver of her jewelry and purse.

In a word Maxie looked gorgeous and that fact was not lost on Jason.

Jason stumbled out of the car scurrying to the passenger side to open the door for Maxie. Everyone in the parking lot of the grocery store and other businesses like the spa and the dry cleaner were stopped and staring at the lovely couple. She checked her purse to ensure she had a compact, lip gloss and business cards. She was going to make her years salary from the connections she made today. It wasn't every day you were at a wedding with city councilmen, commissioners, the mayor and other city high rollers.

Well, that wasn't really true, she thought to herself...she had been at plenty of dinners, weddings, social events and the like with much bigger players than the folks of this small town. However, now that she was here...she intended to find her place in the social circle with the movers and shakers of her new home.

She climbed in the car and Jason couldn't speak. He just stared at her. Maxie reached in her purse and pulled out a silver tie pin and affixed it to his tie.

Finally finding his tongue Jason stammered, "You look beautiful."

"Thank you. And you look incredibly gorgeous as usual." and Jason watched as a beautifully pink blush stole across her cheeks when she realized what she said.

It was enough though to pull Jason from his stupor and he smiled.

Not wanting to have a receipt for the spa in her purse, Maxie shoved the receipt in her visor which Jason noticed housed a lot of other receipts. They were driving her car because she said it was more appropriate for them to climb in and out of in their formal wear. She had actually tried to get him to hire a car but he reminded her that they didn't need to rouse any suspicion showing up in a limo.

The wedding was nice. That was all anyone who asked could get out of Jason. Maxie expounded on the fashion, the flowers, the color theme and anything else. To anyone asking Maxie was impressed with the wedding but privately, for Jason's ears only, she dissected every aspect. Jason got the feeling it was actually part of Maxie's fun mocking the bride who she said looked like needed to lose twenty more pounds to pull off the wedding dress. She disparaged her hair style with the veil saying it should have been worn down instead of up and she laughed at the length of the groom and groomsmen's tuxes saying they were fashion from two years ago. Jason tuned her out when she started on her diatribe about the cut of the bridesmaids dresses.

Yet he was proud of her for not speaking those comments to anyone but him. She was truly growing up and maturing. Although he knew it was probably just a matter of time before she spoke her peace and ruined some poor shlups night because his wife was told she looked like a cartoon character or worse but Jason was happy that she was really enjoying herself. Both publicly meeting people, handing out her business card to the women who commented on her dress and then privately with him, releasing her catty barbs about anyone and seemingly everyone.

The reception was fun. They had an eight piece band that played jazz and old rock n roll like ELO and Chicago. Denny and Dale were there. He knew they were invited but didn't think they were coming when he didn't see them at the church. They chatted with the older couple through dinner but Jason reluctantly left their company when Maxie tugged him off to talk to some other people in the crowded banquet room.

Maxie caught the bouquet and Jason laughed at her for getting so excited. She tried to get him to try for the garter but he flat out refused and hard as she and Denny tried, they could not get him to budge.

However, Jason wasn't real happy when the tall Hispanic dark haired man in his late twenties caught the garter and then tugged Maxie from their table on to the dance floor. He was smooth, too smooth. Reminiscent of Sonny back in the day.

"Go cut in." Dale advised as he and his wife watched the steam roll around Jason as the younger man's hand inched further and further down Maxie's back.

"No, let her have her fun." He replied when Maxie's laughter floated across the room to them and he watched as the man whispered something in her ear and she threw her head back laughing.

The evening went on and the man, Pablo, had asked Maxie to dance again as well as a few other single men. Some women had asked Jason to dance as well but he told them he wasn't a dancer and declined.

Denny watched as Jason stared at Maxie and her dance partner on the floor and finally decided to take matters into her own hands. She whispered something in her husbands ear. He shook his head 'no' and she stood with her hands firmly planted on her hips. Then he dropped his head and nodded his approval and got up to head to the other side of the room.

"Jason, do this old granny a favor and get me out on that dance floor. I need to get moving before I stiffen up for good sitting here."

"What?" he turned to see the woman who could not possibly be five feet tall and smiled. "Mrs. Watson, I think you've been drinking."

"I may have had a few champagne poinsettia cocktails but that doesn't mean I don't know how to dance so come on." she tugged on his hand and pulled him out of his seat.

Jason had learned quickly after they moved in next to her that Denny Watson did not take no for an answer so he followed her onto the dance floor and laughed when he realized he would have had to probably dance on his knees to be able to place his hand at the small of her back. So he did the best he could and placed his hand just under her armpit on her shoulder blade.

They moved around the dance floor and Jason swore she was leading but dared not say anything. She turned him at one point and he completely missed Dale walking up and tapping Pablo on the shoulder to cut in. Once Pablo kissed Maxie's hand and retreated Denny quickly spun them sideways so that they would both be facing Maxie and Dale.

"Oh lookey there. Here's my husband. I think I'd rather dance with him. He's not so darn tall." she smirked and then jumped from Jason's arms into her husbands, nearly knocking Maxie down in the process.

Jason caught Maxie, putting her upright on her heels and then softly laughed. "That was rigged."

"Ya think?" Maxie smiled at him then rolled her eyes. "Well since you're here..."

She held out her arms and Jason stepped up to her, pulling her body to his and placing his hand where it was proper at the small of her back. She placed her tiny, perfectly manicured fingers in his hand and somehow...they fit perfectly.

Jason shook his head at the thought of anything of theirs fitting perfectly but then the song that started playing really hit home.

(The song is called "I've Been Searchin So Long" by the band Chicago. Go to Youtube and type "Chicago I've Been Searching" and you'll get the video to listen to...)

_As my life goes on I believe  
Somehow something's changed  
Something deep inside  
Ooh a part of me_

There's a strange new light in my eyes  
Things I've never known  
Changin' my life  
Changin' me

I've been searchin'  
So long  
To find an answer  
Now I know my life has meaning  
Oh oh

Now I see myself as I am  
Feeling very free  
Life is everything  
Ooh it's meant to be  
When my tears have come to an end  
I will understand  
What I left behind  
Part of me

I've been searching  
So long  
To find an answer  
Now I know my life has meaning  
Woah woah

Searching  
For an answer  
To the question  
For our minds  
Baby it's true  
It's only natural  
Good things in life  
Take a long time  


As Jason danced with Maxie in his arms suddenly it started becoming clear. He wanted more with Maxie. He didn't know what that was but he just felt it inside him. And the realization scared the hell out of him.

He loved their life and wanted her to always be a part of it. He liked fighting with her and finishing her meals for her at restaurants. He liked curling up in the bed during the storm with her and the boys. He liked how it felt when she was behind him on the jet ski and now he realized it was Maxie that stirred his libido in the truck that afternoon.

He liked that she was so independent and told him exactly what she thought whether he liked it or not. He liked her spunk and ability to assess people quickly. Even if he thought she was crazy because she remembered things and people and places by what she was wearing or the style of clothes but it didn't detract that she had a snap shot memory about people. The specifics like hair color and style, size, height and most definitely their fashion sense.

His biggest attraction was that she was so attentive to his boys and that she always put them first, even before her own happiness.

The song was right. Now, two years later, the tears have come to an end. He's left a part of his life, a HUGE part of his life behind. He ran from the mob, Sonny, Carly. Also Elizabeth, although her death was most certainly what prompted the change. He was certain had Elizabeth survived, he would probably still be in Port Charles running the organized crime in that part of the world. But now he realized he escaped...the insanity, the death, the destruction...what was left of his friends and family and made a new place for himself in this world.

A world that included Maxie.

And it struck him like a smack to the face...even if his life didn't include Elizabeth, which to him would have been the ultimate, he was so much happier now than he ever was in Port Charles. With Elizabeth he never agreed to run away with her, even when she asked. A part of him always knew that they just never seemed to be perfectly aligned aside from the one perfect night that they created Jake.

Yet now he was able to live his life. He was able to be himself with Maxie. She expected it but never expected more than he could be. She announced to everyone who would listen what an beast and a cold and especially quiet, brooding individual he was. But she also defended his right to be that way any time someone else mentioned it. She would go so far as to say it's for the best since she was the polar opposite.

And she was.

And the song said it best...He _**HAD**_ been searching for so long for the answers and he'd found his happiness finally. Good things in life _**DID**_ take a long time to find.

Jason pushed at Maxie's hip and lifted their other hands and twirled her around under his arm and when he pulled her back to him, he really pulled her into him tight. She looked up at him, her blue eyes sparkling a rich blue hue. Her eyes questioning him. Then he saw the flash of something else...something more in her eyes.

"A long time ago I accused you of being expressionless and emotionless...Jason...can I tell you something?" she moved with him, swaying to the music.

"What?" his voice was breathy and she watched as his Adams apple bobbed up and down as he tried to swallow the lump in it.

"I was wrong. I thought this...this new life was going to be unbearable. Especially with you. I couldn't have been farther from the truth." she whispered as she laid her head on his suit covered chest and he held her tighter against him, resting his chin on her head as he pulled their joined hands up to his chest and closed his eyes inhaling the sweet scent of her perfume.

He smiled knowing that he was being ridiculous. He was certainly losing his mind if he thought he could possibly have a future with Maxie. They were friends. Well...yeah...friends...sort of...kind of...possibly. He was lost in her scent and the feel of her next to him, their bodies touching from chest to hip.

The next song started before they even realized it and they were still dancing.

("Questions 67 and 68" by the band Chicago which is a much more upbeat tune...again to hear it go to Youtube)

_Can this feeling that we have together  
Oooh, suddenly exist between  
Did this meeting of our minds together  
Oooh, happen just today, some way_

I'd like to know  
Can you tell me; please don't tell me  
It really doesn't matter anyhow  
It's just that the thought of us so happy  
Appears in my mind, as a beautifully mysterious thing  
_  
Was your image in my mind so deeply  
Oooh, other faces fade away  
Blocking memories of unhappy hours  
Oooh, leavin' just a burnin' love_

I'd like to know  
Can you tell me; please don't tell me  
It really doesn't matter anyhow  
It's just that the thought of us so happy  
Appears in my mind, as a beautifully mysterious thing  
Yes it does now baby

Can this lovin' we have found within us  
Oooh, suddenly exist between  
Did we somehow try to make it happen  
Oooh, was it just some natural feat  
_  
I'd like to know  
Can you tell me -- please don't tell me  
It really doesn't matter anyhow  
It's just that the thought of us so happy  
Appears in my mind, as a beautifully mysterious thing  
Yes it does now baby  
Questions 67 and 68_

And with everyone watching, including the Watsons as the music's tempo was quickening and others were dancing around them to the beat, Jason and Maxie swayed slowly to the music ensconced in each others arms, perfectly content to stay that way all night.

He cradled her head to him and leaned his cheek on her head, careful not to ruin her hair-do. He took a deep breath letting the new, unfamiliar feelings rush through him and accepting them as they did.


	8. Chapter 7

**This is short....and....If I were to title chapters...this one would be called "Two Steps Forward..."**

**Chapter 7**

Agent Damien Spinelli pulled into the driveway to surprise the love of his life. His Maximista. The woman he desired above all others. He also wanted to spend some life rejuvenating time with his true master. Not the ones that wished to control his life at the agency. No he was trying hard to live without Jason and Maxie but it was harder than he ever imagined.

He had finally cracked the high profile case. He was given the reward of a weekend off. However, to the agency, that only meant Saturday and Sunday. The earliest flight he could get to Tampa from Washington DC was a late afternoon one and he had to fly back the next day mid afternoon again. However, twenty four hours with The Blond One was more than he'd had in months so it was better than nothing.

He remembered that Fair Maximista said she and Jason were to attend a wedding but it was almost ten at night. Surely they should have been home by now. Spinelli decided to go to the corner store for some Spinelli style nourishments. Surely, they would not -have BBQ chips and Orange soda on hand for him when they didn't even know he was coming.

Denny was on the computer checking e-mail when she noticed the nerdy college kid that talked weird. She thought that was over. "Dale...that weird Spinster kid is back again and this time...well shoot...he brought flowers this time." She yelled from their den to the living room and her husband mumbled from his recliner something incoherent as he checked the sports scores on ESPN.

She had hoped that the strange man was out of the picture even though Hannah had indicated that Maxie's college boyfriend wasn't. Tonight had been a breakthrough. Even though she had wanted Maxie to originally find romance with her grandson, she knew that Jason and Maxie were already falling in love with each other. They just needed a little push in the right direction.

And she was the Fairy Godmother to do the pushing.

Anything for love.

She'd done such a good job at the wedding. When she and Dale left, the two were still on the dance floor oblivious to anything happening around them. They didn't even know the older couple had left.

But this weird out of towner would ruin all of her hard work and their forward progress.

Denny picked up her phone and called her granddaughter. "Hannah?...Hi honey. No, we're fine...Honey, I know it's late and your Papa and I are just fine. We got home about thirty minutes ago... Oh it was nice enough. Hannah listen, you and I need to work on a project together. Why don't you come over tomorrow for lunch and we'll talk. Nana has an idea and she needs your help."

~%~%~%~%~%~

Jason and Maxie danced together the rest of the night. She was surprised at how light on his feet Jason truly was. And even more shocking was that he was actually spinning her around the dance floor as opposed to just swaying from left to right or doing the awkward box step over and over. He was charming and attentive and Maxie was having the best time since...she honestly could not remember when.

When he noticed she was grimacing and her feet kept making her groan, he walked her to their table and lifted each foot into his lap to rub them under the table. Maxie was touched by his concern and sincerity. Their silence was easy both deep in their own thoughts. Jason's being filled with "What If's" and Maxie's imagining the rough fingertips of the man who was currently massaging her toes running up her legs or down her arms or across her torso.

"Jimmy Choo looks good but doesn't always feel good." she smiled awkwardly when their eyes met.

Jason was surprised as he nodded his understanding. He actually knew who Jimmy Choo was...or at least that she meant her shoes.

When the Bride and Groom finally left the reception at nine forty-five the two quickly made their way through to thank Jason's boss and his wife. Then Jason went over and tipped the band a fifty because he enjoyed their music while Maxie was cradled in his arms. They strolled out of the banquet room at the posh country club. Maxie's arm threaded through Jason's. Jason's tie sticking out of his coat pocket with the top three buttons undone to his dress shirt and both hands shoved in his pockets.

As they waited for the valet to bring their car around, Maxie leaned her head on Jason's shoulder and let out another sigh.

"What's the matter?" Jason asked nervously.

He knew what he wanted her to say but also knew that honestly, it was the LAST thing he really wanted to hear. He was so confused over his newly discovered feelings. He wanted to hear her say that she was feeling the same way he was but then...he wasn't positive that he actually knew what he was feeling.

What he did know was that he had a wonderful night with Maxie and that several times throughout the night he was almost ready to bend down and kiss her. An idea that also terrified the hell out of him which is why he hadn't followed through with the impulses when they came.

What was he thinking? Since when did he ever want to do anything with Maxie. Much less want to press his lips against hers in a display of passion.

But that was exactly how he felt. And he wasn't sure he was okay with that.

What if he went with his instincts and she rebuffed his advances? He had to think about his kids, his life, her life. They wouldn't be able to just turn around and act like it never happened and she certainly could not leave. At least not now. He and the boys needed her.

He needed her. When did that happen?

But what if she wanted it? What if she reacted positively to his advances?

Would they try to build a relationship that was romantic? Could they? Would it ever work?

She was twelve years younger than him. Which normally should not mean too terribly much at their age but Maxie was incredibly immature for her nearly twenty five years. At least she used to be. She'd changed so much in the past six months since they had been in Florida. If he were honest with himself she had started to change, grow up and be less selfish after Georgie died. And she really changed when they first left Port Charles. Mostly where the kids were concerned.

Yet lately she was really coming in to her own. Becoming her own woman. A career minded business owner. Happy, at least he thought she was. Mellow, well...as mellow as was possible where Maxie was concerned. Exasperating but he thrived on it and had to admit he antagonized it on many occasions just for fun. And a wonderful caregiver to his two children.

She was also a loving friend to Hannah. She had learned her lessons with her old friends like Lulu and Brooklyn and probably even Sam and Spinelli. She didn't use Hannah the way she used to use her other friends. She was still controlling but Jason figured it had more to do with Maxie being so outgoing and Hannah being so shy.

And because of this, he had so many questions.

Jason had to admit to himself his own faults. He was never good at going after what he wanted. At least when it came to women. He never pursued. He always just seemed to make sure he was there until the woman realized she wanted what he wanted and did it for him.

And he was stubborn beyond all reason. And silent. He had a hard time with words so he didn't use them. Therefore he never was the one to make the first move.

With Robin, he actually did technically make the first move but then after she reacted the way she did on the bridge accusing him of using her as a death wish _'kissing the girl with HIV'_, Jason waited for her to tell him she wanted him to kiss her the next time. Which was probably why he'd been that way ever since. Loving Robin was easy. It was an unconscious action like breathing in air. At least it was in the beginning when things were simple.

Carly was easy literally. He didn't have to do anything but plunk down a quarter to play some pool and she practically sprawled herself on the table, his for the taking. If he looked back, that was honestly the most real and open relationship he had ever had. At least from his standpoint. He never told Robin about Carly until it was over so that wasn't really honest but he didn't really understand what he was doing and who it could hurt and he never led Carly on. She knew what he wanted and she willingly gave it to him. It was simply sex.

Courtney and Sam were neither simple or easy. They were both so much work it eventually destroyed the love he felt for either woman. Neither started off on good footing. He was babysitting Courtney while she stripped, his best friend's sister and his brother's wife. He couldn't even put a finger on why or when it happened. He just loved her one day. And then one day he didn't. It was the same way with Sam. Honestly had he not become so attached to the idea of raising her and Sonny's daughter with her, he didn't think he would have fallen in love with her. And while it was good, it was incredible. But Sam was her own worst enemy. Never trusting herself enough and always destroying herself before someone else could. Eventually she redeemed herself for her crimes.

But the one he could never get past though was that she watched his son taken.

Then there was Elizabeth. The impossible dream.

Where would Maxie fall in his short list of experiences. The easiness and innocence of Carly and Robin. Or the angst, us against the world but never quite enough relationships he had with Sam and Courtney.

He knew it wasn't possible for her to fall into a category with Elizabeth. They were total opposites in character. Elizabeth always put others before her own feelings and Maxie rarely even considered others feelings when it came to what she wanted.

But then that was the _old_ Maxie. Maxie Jones of Port Charles. Not Maxie Webster of Largo.

Maxie interrupted his thoughts, "Jason?"

"Yyyyes..." he hesitantly replied.

"I really had a great night." She shuffled next to him, alternating from hugging his arm and pulling back letting her arm fall loose within the cradle of his elbow.

"I did too Maxie." He said placing his hand over hers on his arm and squeezing.

She smiled up at him, her eyes twinkling and a big smile spreading across her face. He looked down at her and realized how beautiful she was. It was like he had never seen her before.

He studied her eyes, so brilliant blue that the clearest ocean waters barely compared. Her pert little nose that turned up slightly at the end. There were a few freckles across her nose and cheeks that were barely perceptible if you weren't really close and studying her. Her mouth was slender and perfectly shaped with the bottom lip being fuller and luscious. The soft pink lip gloss barely differing from the true color of her lips natural hue. Her strong chin and angular face that had rounded a bit. She had put on probably ten pounds since they finally settled in their home and she looked much better with the added weight. He had been worried at first but she looked a healthier thin now instead of near drawn and frail and bordering anorexic which was honestly a true concern when they had first started on their journey together.

She had a face that any man would consider himself in heaven to wake up to every day. And being honest with himself, she looked DAMN HOT in a bikini or anything else she put on over her feminine curves. Like the drop dead gorgeous dress she had on now, hugging her body like a glove.

"Do you think?...I mean...would you be willing?...never mind...I'm being stupid." she lowered her head and studied her feet.

Jason removed his hand from on top of hers and used his index finger to lift her chin turning slightly to face her. Finally locking eyes with hers again he smiled. "Say it. I'm...it's not stupid."

He hoped he was right about what she wanted to say.

"Well...would you ever want to do this again?" And he was right.

She shook her head and closed her eyes and before he could reply she rambled on. "I mean...that's stupid...we go do things all the time. I mean just the other day we went with Billy and Hannah to that new restaurant. And we are always doing stuff with the kids...it's just..."

"It was really nice just you and me. Just the two of us...out...on a...a...date." Jason offered for her.

Her head shot up and her eyes narrowed as if she was trying to see inside his brain before she responded. Then her eyes grew wide when the realization of what he had just said truly sunk in.

"Yeah" she sighed nodding her head furiously as her bones in her body became jelly under her skin and she practically melted into his side. The butterflies had taken flight and she was in that indescribable place when you are so excited and so scared you aren't sure whether you should leap into his arms or run to throw up somewhere.

Jason took advantage of the situation and quickly pulled his other hand from his pocket and wrapped it around her waist pulling her body to his. His voice was hoarse and sultry. "I think we should definitely do this more often."

He looked down at her and she lifted her chin. His head inched lower to hers and she lifted herself up on her tip toes as far as she could. Her lips parted, partly in surprise but also in preparation and her tongue quickly darted out to moisten them. Jason's pupils eclipsed the blue as he watched the movement, desire stirring in every part of his body. Just as Jason reached up to cup her neck with his hand and close the distance between their lips the valet pulled up with their car and announced their car was ready.

Jason closed his eyes and sighed, tipping his head back silently asking the heavens 'Why?' as he untangled himself from Maxie. But he could not pull himself away from her completely so he took her hand in his and led her down the steps to the waiting car. He pulled a twenty out of his pocket to hand over to the valet even though he wanted to ram his fist down his throat and ask the teenager **why** he didn't see they were having a private moment and **why** he didn't drive around the block until it was over.

He helped Maxie into the car and then moved around to the drivers side and climbed in. He drove away missing the feel of Maxie in his arms and wondered...if he drove out to the beach could they recapture that moment or was it lost for good.

The twenty minute ride home was silent. Maxie had put her hand out in the center console, palm up. But Jason was too lost in his own thoughts and concentrating on driving to notice it and when he did, he moved to grab on to it. Hoping it was a gesture she was making to continue this. His hand was just seconds too late when she sighed and moved her hand to her lap, leaning her head against the window and staring out at the September night sky.

Jason mentally kicked himself for many reasons. He should have just kissed her. Screw the valet. He should have immediately grabbed her hand when he got into the car. He should have taken her up on her idea to have a limo so he wouldn't have to occupy his time with the mundane task of driving through the city streets on a Saturday night when he could be in the back seat with her in his arms. He should drive to the beach, tell her exactly what has been playing in his mind all night and pull her into his arms and never let her go again. Mostly, he was kicking himself because he was too chicken to do any of it.

Then when he pulled into their driveway and saw Spinelli, he knew how this ended. The chance...not taken. All the questions...unanswered. The moment...gone.

Spinelli was sitting on the back of a blue Pontiac rental car with a dozen roses for Maxie sitting next to him and a huge smile on his face. Jason didn't say a word when Maxie jumped from the car before it was even stopped moving. He watched as she was screaming the younger man's name and launching herself into his arms. Jason bit his lip and gripped the steering wheel as the two held each other, happy to be touching. His eyes grew cold when he watched Spinelli lean in and place a chaste kiss on Maxie's lips.

He threw the car into reverse and headed for the nearest bar.

He wanted to get away. The bucket of cold water that was Spinelli sitting there and Maxie's reaction to him was a wake up call. It was time to find himself a life of his own.

~%~%~%~%~

Jason woke up in a motel room with a warm body next to him. He groaned as he extricated himself from Jenny...no Janet...Janice?

Shit!

He couldn't even remember the name of the woman he was in bed with. The last time that happened was...Carly but then he never learned her name the night before.

He looked back at the woman. Oddly, the first thing he noticed as the haze of the scotch was wearing off by a few hours of sleep, was that the woman couldn't be more than twenty five, had blond hair was tiny and had been wearing a light blue dress. A dress that was draped over the desk chair at the moment.

He was willing to bet money that the girls voice was two octaves higher than a normal female voice and her eyes were blue.

What the fuck was he thinking?

He pulled on his suit pants and white undershirt. He checked for his wallet and keys in his coat pocket and even went so far as to check to see that most of his money was still there although he didn't figure that the girl would rob him and then climb naked back into bed with him.

Besides, he remembered everything. Well...almost everything and he was pretty sure her name was Janine.

The sex was okay. He used three condoms but the first one didn't really count because the first round was embarrassingly quick. They had barely made it into the motel room that was located next to the bar on the beach where he ended up. He remembered the old man grousing at him and Janelle...Janey?... When they knocked on his door at five minutes to two the old man nearly told them to leave. Until the man saw the cash Jason was holding in his hand. His worn red robe barely closed over his overstuffed belly and then Jason caught the old man leering and drooling over the beautiful blond on his arm once he woke enough to notice her.

Jane...yeah Jane wanted to go back to her place but Jason didn't want to become that intimate. He wanted the capability of doing exactly what he was doing now. Sneaking out while she slept at five o'clock in the morning and walking across the street to the bar to get into his car...well Maxie's car...and drive home to sleep the rest of the liquor off in his own bed.

He owed Spinelli an apology for not even bothering to say hello to his longtime friend and former roommate. But at the time, it was the best course of action. There was no way he could sit there and see the two young lovers paw and pet each other.

Not when he wanted to be the one pawing and petting Maxie instead of his friend.

As he drove home he knew that it was for the best. It was better that the kiss never happened. Now they could just chalk last night up as a little too much emotion from the wedding and move on with their lives like normal.

But as he walked in the door and saw Spinelli asleep on the couch and then saw Maxie practically sprint from her room when she heard him pull up, wearing a pair of boring pajama shorts and a too big AC/DC t-shirt, suddenly not everything that happened or didn't happen last night was for the best.

"I was worried about you." Maxie whispered as she moved to the kitchen.

"What are you doing up?" He asked in hushed tones. Neither wanted to wake Spinelli.

"Jake..." she saw his head snap and quickly eased his mind "No...I woke up about fifteen minutes ago...at five...when Jake wakes up. I guess I'm just used to it by now."

"Oh..."Jason moved to the cabinet and pulled the aspirin bottle down from the cabinet where they kept odds and ends like medicine, tea bags and travel coffee mugs. "What's Spinelli doing on the couch?"

Avoiding his question for now she turned to hand him the glass of water she had just poured from the Britta water pitcher on the counter. She handed it to him flicking her eyes up to his. Their eyes held for a long moment and then he slowly popped the two pills into his mouth and took a large sip of the water. He tilted his head back to swallow the pills down and heard her gasp. His head snapped down to lock eyes with her and he watched as her eyes narrowed. She reached up without taking her eyes off of him and turned on the light switch to the kitchen. As soon as the lights brightened the room her hand moved toward him. More specifically his neck just at his collar bone.

His eyes narrowed and his brows furrowed as she ran her fingers over his collar bone her eyes burning a hole into the spot she was touching. Then he watched as if it were in slow motion as her eyes perused the rest of his body finally landing on another spot, on his shoulder. Her eyes watered and she pulled her hand away from his so fast it was as if his skin had burned her. He stood there motionless and clueless as well as she tore around him sobs being clearly heard and then the slamming of her door. He looked out toward the living room and watched as Spinelli barely stirred at the noise and then rolled over, hugging one of the pillows to his chest and mumbling incoherently.

He had no idea what that was about but obviously there was something behind the fact that Maxie was near tears and Spinelli was on the couch. He moved to his bedroom and went to put on some sleep shorts when he noticed it in his dresser mirror.

The very spot that Maxie had touched on his neck was a nice reddish purple hickey and on his shoulder were four perfectly manicured half moons where Jenny...no...Jane...no..._the woman he slept with_ had grabbed on to his shoulder and dug in to keep from falling off the bed last night.

"**FUCK!"**

Like I said...the title to this chapter would be "**Two Steps Forward"**....

And at the end...I would so write... "**three steps back!!!! UGH!!!!" **please don't hate the writer.


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N: ****Holy Crapfest these two are killing me.**BTW…any of you waiting on JaMoT…it's coming…promises…and **I DID NOT** beta this…I'm sure it's crap and I've written what I don't want to put in here but all I did was spellcheck this time…Sorry.

**Chapter 8**

"**FUCK"** Jason yelled and punched his own face in the mirror.

He stalked out of the room, mirror shattered all over the dresser, his hand bleeding from the mirror pieces protruding from his knuckles.

Entering the living room he found his disheveled former roommate standing in front of the couch crouching with his arms out flashing his FBI badge wildly looking around for signs of trouble.

Jason stopped momentarily on his mission to stare blankly at Spinelli. He wondered if the kid would ever grow up and become a man. He doubted it.

"Stonecold. What was that noise? Did it come from Maximista's room?" Jason turned around when he heard the half normal sentences coming from Spinelli. The only strange words were the nicknames.

Maybe the kid was growing up.

"NO" Jason barked, still upset and too pumped with adrenalin to speak in a normal tone.

"OH, the master leaks his life's blood from his hand, shall the Jackal retrieve supplies of the First Aid kind to tend your wounded digits?"

Well there went that theory. Still completely one hundred percent Spinelli.

"NO" Jason again barked as he stalked toward the hallway and the closed door at the end of it.

Inching closer to Maxie's door he slowed his footsteps and leveled his breathing. He was the one who needed to fix this. Obviously, since Spinelli was on the couch, she had not reversed their forward motion. It was his own stupidity that rendered last nights events between the two null and void.

He heard her high pitched sobs muffled through the doorway. His heart clenched tightly in his chest knowing he was the reason she was crying. If only he had not left last night. Maybe Maxie was going to tell Spinelli that she and Jason were…

Were what?

Admittedly he knew he left because he was jealous. It pained him to admit it but it was true. When he saw Spinelli sitting there, someone who had held Maxie in his arms, someone who knew what it was like to be loved by her, to taste her lips, make love to her, he felt his blood boil. He could not have gone in the house and acted like the evening and their almost kiss didn't happen.

But now it was morning and he had gone and slept with some nameless, faceless, meaningless woman. He hadn't really done it to get back at Maxie. It was more to simply get beyond Maxie and his years long celibacy. He thought it was the best way to…

Truth be told, he could not even justify it to himself. He just went out with the sole purpose of getting drunk and getting laid. And he had succeeded in both

Now, in the light of day, with the realization that what he thought was happening at his own house hadn't and hearing Maxie's cries through the door, Jason could barely hold himself upright. His head was pounding and though he knew the aspirin would help alleviate some of it, mostly it was pounding with regret.

Regret for his actions and regret for the blame he took on all to himself for the reason the woman on the other side of the door was in pain.

"Maxie?" he softly said her name while lightly knocking on the door.

"GO AWAY!" Came the response from the other side.

Checking the door he found it to be unlocked and turned the knob and moved into the room. He saw her petite frame shaking with her cries as she was face first crying into her pillow. He looked around the room and was caught off guard by what he saw.

Her room, the largest in the house was tastefully decorated in soft green hues. Her king sized poster bed had a canopy of sheer material draped over and around the tops of the posts then hung long down each carved mahogany pole. A ceiling fan slowly turned above the material causing it to billow and flutter as if a soft summer's breeze were coming in.

Everything was in its place and on the walls hung artwork of sunsets and beach scenes. She had an overstuffed chair near the window to the back yard with a small table beside it. The table's lamp was on and he could see some magazines and a small tan book, maybe a diary. The other window that faced the street was shelved with small plants with tiny flowers. On her dresser were so many glass perfume bottles of varying shapes and sizes. Her mirror lined with snapshots.

Looking closer at the snapshots Jason's eyes widened. Surrounding the entire edge of her dresser mirror were snapshots of different events since they moved to Largo. All of the pictures were of him, the boys, Hannah, Billy and her.

One in particular caught his eye.

He remember the day so well. He and Billy had picked up Hannah and the boys and they all went to the beach near Maxie's shop. He had both boys in the water with Cameron on his shoulders and Jake in his arms. Big bright smiles beaming from all three faces. In fact, he remembered that exact moment because that's when Jake shouted Maxie's name and started squealing to be let down to run to her. Except Jason couldn't let him down because he was standing in waist deep water and Jake was just learning to swim. He slowly trudged up to the shoreline watching Maxie walk toward them with her skirt gripped in one hand and her shoes dangling from the other.

He didn't remember Maxie having a camera that day. Yet just below it was the same day when he was teaching Cameron to body surf the waves in to the shore. Maybe Hannah had a camera and Jason hadn't noticed. Hannah often had her camera because she was just as enthusiastic about photography as her grandfather.

He smiled briefly, reaching up to finger the pictures. That was a fun day and they had many more summer days like that.

Maxie drew him from his memories when she screamed, "I SAID GO AWAY!"

Jason turned to see her sitting up, eyes rimmed red from her tears. He moved toward her but she tossed a pillow at him yelling for him to get out of her room. He caught the pillow and slowly kept moving forward toward her.

"Maxie, please…let me…"

"What? Explain?" she spit out in a biting tone. "I don't need an explanation Jason. I know exactly what happened."

"But…" But what? He wondered. There really was no reply that could come after 'but'. At least not one that didn't make him look like the ass that he was. So he changed tactics. "Maxie I'm sorry."

"No you aren't." she almost whispered and stood from the bed, trembling. "You aren't sorry and…I guess…"

She trailed off, biting her upper lip and turning to look out the window as Jason watched the tears well back up in her eyes.

"You guess what?" he asked as he moved again toward her. All he wanted to do was close his eyes and when he opened them, they would be on the dance floor at the Cove Cay Country Club, Maxie safely encased in his arms.

"Nothing." She closed her eyes and lowered her chin to her chest. "It doesn't matter now."

"It does matter." He spoke so softly, pleading for her to understand. "It matters to me…You…I wish I could..."

She cut him off, "You can't. And it doesn't change anything anyway. I don't know what I was thinking."

He sat down on the edge of her bed. "You were thinking that maybe last night we…"

"Last night you finally got laid. You needed it. I get it." She half sobbed cutting off his words. She didn't want to hear them.

Deciding he didn't want to address that particular part of the evening just yet he changed tactics. "I like your room. You know, I don't think I've ever really been in here since we moved in."

He looked around the room again. "When did you get the shelves lining your ceiling? Are those?..."

He stood and moved to look closely at the boxes.

"Barbies. Dale hung the shelves for me." She said looking up at the line of Barbie Dolls. "I have every Holiday Collection Barbie since I was born. Every year. I have twenty five of them….well, no…I have twenty two. I don't have the last three years."

"Why not?" he asked, ashamed to realize that he never cared enough to know that she even collected the iconic dolls.

"Georgie" she shakily answered and then started crying again, tears flowing freely.

"Georgie?"

"Yeah, my Mom started the tradition but then when she left…" Maxie swiped at her tears and looked up. "You see that one?"

She was pointing at a Barbie doll with a red dress that looked like Santa's coat with the white fur trim. When Jason nodded his head as his eyes traveled up to where she was pointing, "That one came in the mail to Georgie the day of her funeral."

"Georgie kept up the tradition." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. Jason knew the younger Jones girl well enough to know that it was just like Georgie. She was always the more mature one. The one who took care of and defended Maxie to others.

He noticed her staring at the doll, lips quivering. He resisted the urge to pull her into his arms and cradle her. Anything to help her escape the pain she was going through. She had lost just as much if not more than he had over the past three years. She had lost family that she loved, living or dead because of something that she was never supposed to be a part of. Even though she lost Georgie to the Test Message Killer, is was because Diego was out for revenge against Jason. And then with the Russians, she was just really in the wrong place at the wrong time. They were again targeting the rival organization that Jason headed. In the process, Maxie had to go with him on the run and lost her Uncle and cousin. The only two left.

Jason had lost just as much, Elizabeth, Emily, Alan…even Carly, Monica and truth be told…Sam but he was culpable for the loss. He knew that as sure as he knew he would never be able to pay a true retribution for all of his crimes against the innocent people of Port Charles.

He turned away from Maxie, looking around the room again and seeing dozens of framed pictures on her mahogany and glass entertainment unit that housed her television, stereo and books and knick knacks. She had a small collection of Precious Moments figurines on the shelf above the DVD player with a picture of Georgie in the middle of them. Then her books all shelved on the left side of the unit truly surprised him. Books on history. Different countries and time periods. Everything from the sixteenth century to the present.

He moved over to look more closely and was surprised again. She had pictures of her and Georgie, her and Mac, her and Spinelli. Pictures from growing up, Georgie and Mac, She and Georgie with Robin when they were about eight and ten, he guessed. They were in their pajamas and Robin was dressed up for the Nurses Ball. That was the year he carried Robin off the stage.

There was a picture of Maxie and Hannah. They were sitting on the Watson's swing with their arms around each other. Another one of her with Lulu and Spinelli at the Crimson offices. Then there were pictures of her and the boys that she had enlarged and put into big frames. The most shocking was a picture he did remember taking. It was the boy's birthday party. Maxie was sitting in the chair next to Jason and Jake was on her lap. Cameron had just opened one of his presents and Jason had his arm draped over the back of Maxie's chair. All four were focused on the history of trains that Cameron now insisted they read some of every night. All four faces happy and smiling focusing in on the book. Dale would have taken that picture. She had it blown up and in an eight by ten frame, matted and displayed directly in the center of all the other pictures.

Then the picture that caught his attention the most. In a tiny frame toward the back, there was a picture of Elizabeth holding Jake. Standing right beside her was Maxie and Cooper Barrett was in the background. He could tell it was at General Hospital and neither women were looking at the camera or each other. Elizabeth was looking off beyond the camera and Maxie was looking down at Jake.

"How?" he started to ask not finishing the sentence as he picked up the picture and studied it.

"Spinelli pulled it off of a security monitor at GH and touched it up with photoshop so it looked like it was a real photograph taken. He said it would help with our story that I was her half sister. Hannah saw it and commented that we looked alike. Isn't that stupid?"

He was barely listening to her so lost in memories of his own around that time. Jake would have been around two months old. Jason was probably already in jail at the time. But even in his haze he did hear what she said. Focusing on the picture he murmured, "You're both so beautiful."

He sat down on the bed again, picture in hand and stared down at the picture.

"JASON YOUR HAND!"

His head snapped up. Then he looked down at his hand and the smear of blood across her antique lace duvet. He immediately pulled his hand up but it was already too late. He had ruined her bedspread.

Maxie immediately ran to the adjoining bathroom and came out with a seafoam green hand towel. She pulled his hand toward her and wrapped it in the towel. Jason sucked in air through his teeth as her actions further pushed the broken glass into his knuckles.

"I'm sorry." She said softly as she loosened her grip and gently opened the towel to see small shards of mirrored glass protruding. She immediately reached behind her to her dresser to grab her tweezers. Slowly she pulled the pieces of glass from his hand and placed them in the towel.

Jason watched her work meticulously on his hand, blowing on the cut once the shard was removed. He couldn't believe how caring and careful she was being with him. As she held his hand in hers and worked, he studied her face.

She was enchanting. Even with no sleep, no makeup and sad eyes she was perfect.

Jason's other hand lifted to cup her cheek on its own accord. He gently tugged and she lifted her chin to look up at him. Their eyes connected and he saw it. Just a flashing sparkle but it was just for him. Compassion, caring and love filled his senses with that one look.

His body and desires took over, his brain giving in to his senses and he slowly moved closer. His hand slid from her cheek to the back of her neck and tugged her closer to him as he bent down.

Briefly, all too briefly, their lips barely touched. An electrical sensation jolted through him at her breath fanning his lips and the barest fist touch of his lips to hers. Jason wanted this. He wanted her. His body, his heart, his mind needed her.

As his lips pressed against her softened pink pouty flesh, he was struck so hard on the side of the face that his ears were literally ringing.

"HOW DARE YOU!" Maxie seethed as she stepped away from him and dropped his hand and the towel.

"Maxie…"

"No, you don't get to do this. You don't get to explain or apologize or whatever it is you are even thinking in that thick skull." Her back was against the wall now. The sparkle he'd seen just seconds ago had faded and in its place was rage. "And you DAMN SURE don't get to…"

She motioned between them, not wanting to put into words what had just nearly transpired.

"Please" he pleaded but it was useless.

He hung his head and bent to pick up the towel on the floor. He didn't know what to say but even if he did, she wouldn't let him say it. Yet knowing his efforts were futile, he could not move from the spot he was in.

Then he felt it. Her hands wrapping around his bicep. The blonde, blue eyed pixie tugging him with all of her one hundred and five pound might. In his head he considered standing his ground. She couldn't move him if he didn't want to move. But as quickly as that thought hit him, it vanished. He looked up and saw the tears mixed with the fury in her eyes.

He was hurting her and she needed time. He, more than anyone, understood that concept.

He muttered an apology and went to move for the door when he noticed Spinelli heading toward the room. He'd completely forgotten about the kid. Spinelli had the first aid kit in his hands and had a look of concern on his face.

"I brought the first aid..." He stopped talking when he noticed Maxie fuming behind Jason. "Is something wrong?"

"Yes...this baboon just got blood all over my bedspread."

Jason looked back at Maxie and she quirked her eyebrow at him huffing through her nostrils with tightly closed lips. Everything that had happened between the two of them over the past twenty four hours, hell two plus years and her biggest issue is that he got blood on her bedspread?

"I think Stonecold's injuries far exceed in importance above abnormally high thread count bedding."

"If he hadn't come in here to wake me up and tell me I have to...to...go get the kids" She looked over at Jason who was staring, mouth agape, at the blonde "YOUR kids by the way...He would have never gotten his blood all over my bedspread. And it's not an abnormal thread count. It's silk..."

"You have to go get Cameron and Jake at six o'clock in the morning?" Spinelli asked looking back and forth between the two roommates.

"Spinelli..." she squealed raising her voice another octave. "You're missing the point. He interrupted my beauty sleep. You know I cannot function if I don't get at least six hours of sleep."

Jason, hearing her lie to Spinelli about the boys, took the kit from the younger man's hands and started to walk out. They could work this out by themselves. She was obviously covering with Spinelli because she didn't want him to know what was _really _going on between him and Maxie. However, even armed with that knowledge and for once agreeing with his roommate, he was not going to begin lying to his friend even if the truth would most likely devastate him.

But the next thing he heard caused him to take root and turn to see Maxie's reaction.

"But Maximista, you went to bed not long after you got home. Regrettably without me because of your proclamation of your building amorous affections for another man. You said you were tired and wanted to go call him." Spinelli shifted uncomfortably at the information he had just uttered. He swayed back and forth brushing his hair out of his face.

Jason stared at Maxie. She had admitted to Spinelli that she was falling in love with someone else. Had she told Spinelli it was him? Was what she told Spinelli the truth last night or was it simply to get out of sleeping with a man who had idolized her for over three years now.

Jason moved toward Maxie, unable to control the overwhelming feelings that surged through him. Maxie saw his advance and stepped back further into her room away from him. Spinelli stood confused and heartbroken in between the two.

"I'm…Both of you get out of my room so I can get dressed and go get the kids." She stammered as she shoved at Spinelli. "Bandage your _**Master's**_ hand and go online and order me another quilt just like this one. You'll find it online at Neiman Marcus. And put it on JASON'S credit card. He ruined it, he can pay to replace it."

Her shrill voice and 'Its all about me' attitude was like splashing water in Jason's face. He tugged at the first aid box in Spinelli's hand and growled. "Come on Spinelli, let the spoiled Princess here do whatever…But Maxie," he stopped and pointed a long digit at her, "Don't go waking up the kids for some ridiculous reason that none of us understands. They're fine where they are."

"No" she shook her head smacking his finger away from her face. Spinelli had already moved past Jason toward the hallway. "I told Hannah I would come get the boys as soon as I woke up. I know Jake is already awake and Cam's not far behind if he's not up already. I'm going to go get the boys. Now GET OUT OF MY ROOM! AND GO TAKE A SHOWER, YOU SMELL LIKE SOME WHORES CHEAP PERFUME."

And there it was. The elephant that Jason had forgotten was in the room. She knew he has slept with another woman the night before. And she was upset. Hurt even.

He knew that he had done so because of her. Well, he slept with the woman because when he got home with Maxie, she flew into the arms of another man. A man he knew held her heart. Not in the way she held Spinelli's but still…maybe she knew it too. Maybe she knew that what could have happened when they got home from the wedding didn't because Spinelli was there. Maybe that was why she told Spinelli she was falling in love with someone else.

He knew she hadn't told him who that someone else was because of the way Spinelli was still speaking to him. One thing he learned way back when Spinelli punched Logan Hayes in the face for sleeping with Lulu Spencer, Spinelli had some deep down well hidden bravery when it came to usurping his object of affections. He didn't think he was immune to the wrath, however imaginable it was in Spinelli's mind, were he to know that Maxie were attracted to him.

There were so many questions. So many unspoken words between him and Maxie.

And that elephant…Well he would go wash that off right now.

He made a quick nod of his head to Maxie, understanding exactly what she was saying to him. He'd even tried to kiss her without even having washed off the evidence of the cheap, meaningless sex he'd had the night before.

He was an ass. An ass with a lot of apologizing and making up to do.

He brushed past Spinelli through the hallway and toward his room. He didn't think he could get clean fast enough.

Spinelli stood in the hallway for a long time looking back and forth between the closed bedroom door of the Fair Maximista and the closed bedroom door of his Master, Stonecold. Something was going on between the two of them and he had no idea what it was but the clear, tiny handprint on the side of Jason's face that he would bet money perfectly matched the Fair Maximista's face was a clear indication that _something _was wrong between the two of them. And the regrettably unreturned love of his life's comment about washing off the smell of a cheap whore's perfume was something Maxie would never even care about. Sure she would comment on it but normally only in the presence of said cheap whore.

Unless…

~%~%~%~%~%~

"Hey" Jason said as he tugged down his white cotton t-shirt down over his well defined abs.

He moved into the living room from his bedroom toward Spinelli who was hacking away on his laptop.

"Greetings." Spinelli announced and Jason smiled at the familiar sentiment his former roommate used to give him each time he stepped into Penthouse Two at 122 Harbor View Drive in Port Charles New York. "Does Stonecold feel better after his rejuvenating shower?"

"Yeah…hey listen, I'm sorry I took off on you last night. How long are you in town?" Jason asked jugging at his jeans and sitting down beside Spinelli only to see Spinelli online actually shopping for the requested bedspread at Neiman Marcus.

"Uh…regrettably only for a few more hours. Agent Raynor is a slave driver and does not allow the Jackal personal time like Stonecold used to. Twillight was on DVD before I had a chance to screen it and StoneCold is well aware of how much adore Bella Swan."

Jason nodded his head remembering all the posters on Spinelli's wall in his room. The first Twilight movie having just hit theaters a few months before they all had to leave Port Charles. "Number two right?"

"No, the master is mistaken. Number two, New Moon came out last fall. I'm talking about Eclipse, the one that came out this summer."

"Oh...haven't seen it." Jason murmured. "What are you doing there?"

Jason motioned toward the laptop.

"I'm ordering the Fair Maximista's new bed covers. I took the chance that she would not fault the Jackal and went into her room to find out what was necessary. I shall put it on the credit card you always tell me to put the other stuff on."

Jason nodded his head. Not long after Spinelli had left when they first moved in Jason contacted him to move any charges Maxie was charging to Spinelli's personal accounts onto one of his own. He could not see the younger man having to afford Maxie's three hundred dollar mud baths and such. He had more money than he'd ever spend in this lifetime and Maxie was helping him with _his_ boys so he felt he should pay for her extra curricular activities. Besides, he already paid for everything else.

"Jason can I ask you something?" Jason was taken aback by the change in Spinelli's verbal communications and suddenly was a little intimidated by what came next.

"Uh..sure Spinelli. What's up?" he shifted on the couch and looked at his protégé.

"Are you and Maxie okay?" Spinelli stopped tapping away on the computer and turned to look directly in Jason's eyes.

Sighing Jason rubbed his hand across his face trying to give him more time to come up with an answer. Jason wasn't one to lie. He preferred to plead the fifth in many circumstances but this warranted a reply. Spinelli deserved one.

"No Spinelli, we're not." He muttered ashamed of the fact that for once, in all the years he and Maxie were 'not okay' this was entirely his fault.

"I noticed the handprint on your face and it struck me odd that…that…that you took off the way you did last night. I rather hoped that seeing me, your Grasshopper would have elated your senses for something familiar but alas your date was awaiting."

"My date?" Jason asked curiously. He was also curious why Spinelli had been having bouts of clarity in his speech but he'd wait to ask that at another time.

"Why yes, Maximista mentioned another woman or rather that you smelled of her scent. I must apologize for my friend, she is so callous and upper crusted. Even the sweetest of perfumes would be considered cheap by the Fair Maximista. I know by purchase that her own rapturing scent that she wears is four hundred dollars a bottle. Yet inarguably calling your female companion a name such as she did was uncalled for. Do you not agree?"

And there was the old Spinelli. He would have to think a few moments to figure out exactly what he had just said. Silence was not uncommon between Jason and Spinelli over the years and it was usually from Jason's end.

"Spinelli…no Maxie should not have called…ah…Jenny" Jason scratched at his eyebrow, horrified that he honestly didn't know the woman's name he remember sucking him off at two thirty in the morning. "Yeah Jenny a whore but then that's just Maxie. And I probably do smell of her perfume…or well did at the time. Maxie's mad at me and because of that Maxie is doing what she always does, she's lashing out and becoming destructive. But you don't need to worry about it. I'll handle it and I'll make sure she's okay."

"Do you promise?" Spinelli looked to his mentor with sad eyes. "I knew loving Maxie would cause me to end up here. I knew she didn't ever love me like I love her. I hoped, pray tell I prayed that someday she would wake up and magically she would want to spend her life fully devoted to me. Isn't that stupid?"

"It's not stupid Spinelli. It's human. The only problem is that you're in Washington and Maxie's here." Jason offered.

"Yeah and there's no way the agency will ever let me work in this town. They already warned me. Their fear is that you and I will team up again. I told them that you were completely legit but…they are untrusting of the Grasshopper and his Master's formidable team. Since we were able to abscond with the evidence they had in their possession so that we could not be tried, convicted and jailed for our crimes they were aware of, they are rather displeased with us.

"Yeah well they got what they wanted anyway. Since they couldn't beat us, they wanted us to join them. They got you and got me out of the business. That's a win in their book." Jason responded laughing a bit at the memory of the look on Agent Raynors face as he, Diane and Spinelli stood there listening as the under agent told his boss that all of the evidence, even the back up was gone.

"Those were good times indeed." Spinelli laughed but then turned to Jason and his expression turned serious. "Anyway, just promise me…I know she's a lot to handle and she's most destructive on herself and the people trying to keep her from hurting herself but deep down she's just a lost soul in the universe looking for someone who can love her unconditionally. Unfortunately, as she told me last night, I'll never be that someone. But the person she does have feelings for…Jason…Promise me you'll make sure he respects here and…and…and doesn't hurt her. She deserves happiness too."

As hard as it was, Jason nodded his head and muttered, "I promise."

"And don't let her become destructive in your path to finding your own happiness. She did it when she thought that Winnifred was competition. She's ruthless when she feels threatened and even though she probably never tells you, she's come to rely on you as a friend. She tells me all the time how considerate you are toward her and how you two have become each others essential person. I was that for her once. It can be the most empowering thing in the world to be Maxie's essential person but it can also drive you mad. She's like a tornado…well…I don't guess I have to tell you that. Just…don't let her usurp your quest for happiness because you deserve love too."

Jason sat back and listened to Spinelli. He was right, he had become Maxie's essential person just like she had become his without either of them even realizing it.

Just then the door swung open and a brown streak of curls flew past Jason's knees and launched at his friend.

"SPINELLI!" Cameron yelled and Jake followed suit yelling the same and leaping into the young man's arms the same.

Jason stood, smiling at the scene before him. Both of his boys adored Damien Spinelli and the feeling was completely mutual. He looked to the door as Maxie walked in, two backpacks in tow. He reached for them and she handed them off happily. His smile faded as he noticed her eyes were again red rimmed as if she'd been crying.

It made sense. She had gone to Billy and Hannah's not just to get the boys but to talk to her girlfriend. About what an ass Jason had been.

Jason put down the two back packs in the chair at the breakfast bar and moved to stand next to Maxie. She had a smile on her face that didn't reach her eyes but was better than the scowl it had replaced moments ago. She was watching Jake and Cameron and Spinelli all wrestle around on the couch.

"When Spinelli leaves we'll talk okay…I'm really sorry." Jason whispered and felt the coldness and the loss when she tensed at his words.

She turned and looked directly into Jason's eyes. "**Fuck you!"** she growled with such intensity. The three on the couch didn't hear her but as she walked down the hall toward her bedroom, he knew that this was only the beginning of the war that would rage between them in the weeks to come.


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

It had been a month and Maxie still wasn't talking to him.

He tried everything. The day Spinelli was there, it was Jake who got her to come out of her room. They all sat around that morning talking and laughing while Jason made everyone breakfast. Spinelli animatedly filled them in on the agency. Maxie seemed to become comfortable around him so when the agent finally left around lunchtime Jason suggested they all go have an early dinner at Ichiban's, Maxie's favorite Japanese restaurant. Without a word, Maxie promptly went to her room and an hour later when she came out, she left the house and didn't return until after everyone went to bed.

The next day, on her day off, Jason had flowers sent to the house. He didn't want to send roses so he sent a huge bouquet of fall foliage. It cost him over a hundred bucks but he didn't care about the money. The card proved to be more difficult than he imagined and after tearing up half a dozen of them in the store, perturbing the very feminine man behind the counter, he simply put "J" on it and sealed it for the flower shop owner to deliver.

The card and the flowers were sitting on Denny and Dale's dining room table that evening when he went to get the boys to come home for dinner. Maxie again, was no where in sight.

And this had gone on for a week.

When he got home with the boys, Maxie didn't show up until well after the boys went to bed and if Jason happened to still be up, which he purposely did regardless of how late she got home, she would immediately go to her room and shut her door.

If he spoke to her, she glared at him but never spoke back. It amazed him that she was so controlled because he had done everything to get her to talk to him. He tried to incite a response with complaints about her spending. She would simply nod and walk away. Then he noticed she didn't use the credit card for three days. This was a woman who couldn't go three minutes without using his credit card so he went to her and told her he didn't mean it. The next day, the credit card company called him to approve a purchase. He came home to a brand new eight thousand dollar living room suit.

With Jason's favorite old brown leather couch no where to be found.

And it had gone on like that until the next week, on Thursday, when for the second week straight he and the boys showed up at Georgie's Boutique, and Maxie was again no where to be found. Jake and Cameron were extremely disappointed to the point where Jake started crying. Because Maxie had been avoiding Jason, she was also avoiding the kids. Unintentionally, of course, but the only time they spent with her was in the mornings and that was not enough time. The boys had grown used to her always being around over the years and to suddenly stop was not only confusing but devastating to the two youngsters.

Brittany was the one who picked up the phone and called her. She answered on the first ring because the high schooler was not only at her boutique but they were announcing the winner of the formal dress promotion the next night at the football game. Lots of activity had been seen at the store over the past two weeks. In all she and Brittany figured they had sold fourteen prom dresses, not to mention the other items. The promotion was a success and she was already talking about doing the same thing for prom the following April. Maxie was worried Brittany would get so busy that it would be too much but then she should have known better. Brittany was just as efficient at multi-tasking in the store as Maxie was, ringing up customers, answering phones, changing out sizes and helping to order items online. In the six months since the store had opened, Brittany had proved to be an irreplaceable asset.

When Brittany explained that there were two little boys, one of which was crying because she wasn't there, Maxie's heart broke. She instructed Brittany to put Cameron on the phone and Maxie explained to the little boy that when they got home, she would be there. Cam was so excited and then Jake once the big brother filled him in, they didn't even want dinner. They just wanted to go home. Once there, they ordered pizza and Maxie explained to the boys that any time they wanted to call to talk to her, they could tell their Daddy to dial her number and she would talk to them no matter how busy she was.

That seemed to appease the boys and from then on. And for the next two weeks the routine changed but then was still silent between the adults. She was home when she normally would be around eight in the evening when she was working and would pick them up from school or daycare when she normally would have before on her day off.

But she still wasn't talking to Jason.

And boy did he try! He would get on the phone and call her. He'd hear her voice say hello in her high pitched aria but as soon as he started talking, she would close up like a cocoon and not speak again until she heard one of the boys talking. So on occasion he would go into his bedroom and call her with no intention of putting the boys on the phone but once she realized he just wanted to talk to her, she would hang up on him.

The night of the football game, Maxie was to announce the winner of the prom dress or rather homecoming formal dress at half time. The plan all along was for it to be a big outing. Denny, Dale and Vonnie were going. Vonnie and all three of her children were alumni of the high school. The entire Watson clan was attending the homecoming game with significant others and kids in tow and according to Denny, The Johnson family was a part of that very special crew now.

Jason was excited. He would get to be around Maxie in a public setting where he hoped she had matured enough not to make a scene. At least he thought she HAD. Jason showed up with the boys. Everyone was already there in the bleachers and Maxie and Brittany were down near the fence to the field talking with the Principle. When the game started, Maxie came up to join them. Jason moved over to make room for her between him and Hannah, who he knew she would want to sit by therefore purposely sitting next to her as well. Jake, as always, jumped into her arms and she took him to the other end of the row and sat down by Dale who was filming the game.

He went to the concession stand and bought her a Fuji water when he purchased the popcorn and juices for the kids and she accidentally thanked him. He was so excited to hear a peep from her after two weeks and the words being meant for him, he immediately dropped down on his knees to look her in the eye and apologized to her.

She stared at him long and hard and then handed off Jacob Martin and left, preferring to finish the evening sitting with Brittany and her parents in the other end of the stands.

Now, a month since the wedding, he had stopped trying to talk to her but was still making every effort to show her how truly sorry he was for hurting her feelings.

Oh he knew that they had neither one made any promises that night at the wedding. But there was definitely something growing between them. And Jason had blown it all by not trusting that what he felt for Maxie was being returned by her.

And he couldn't blame Spinelli anymore. He didn't trust so he ran. His usual MO. The fault for his predicament fell squarely on his shoulders.

The kicker of it all was that he didn't even know what to think about how he felt and had not had the chance to explore it with his roommate who over the past month had occupied his every waking thought. He blew any chance before even knowing what's what between them.

But unlike his behavior of the past, Jason had every intention of never giving up. Something that Dale said to him playing a game of pool quite some time ago stuck in his head. It was a piece of advice given before this fiasco had set a funk over the Johnson household. Even if he determined in the end that there was nothing but a working relationship between them for the kids, he was not going to slink away like he used to do.

Giving up was the cowards way.

Like he did with Elizabeth and now decades later realized how much time was wasted because of it. Like he did with Sam under the guise of it being for her safety and like he even did with Robin way back when. His choice was to always let the other person make the decision and he'd just let them be from there. Yet that option always left him alone.

Well he wasn't doing that with Maxie. The whole reason was because Dale, while talking about that asshole of a grandson of his, mentioned that Robbie regretted letting Maxie go just because he didn't want to try and didn't want to have to face his guilt, just because he didn't want to have to do the work it took to have a real relationship.

Living with Maxie was a lot of work already so the extra effort Jason was having to pull off was exhausting but it was just something he had to do. So when she would receive a delivery of her favorite sushi for lunch at the boutique and he still wouldn't receive a call, he would just trudge on and send her favorite Thai food for lunch the next day. And when he would find the fresh flowers that he put in her room suddenly in the garbage, he would just pull them back out and give them to Billy to take home to Hannah. And when he would leave notes thanking her for the most mundane of tasks she had performed like putting away the dishes, he would find them left right where he left them, on the kitchen counter or taped to the inside of the back door or pinned to the cork board near the answering machine where he had left them for her to find. They would stand out as a reminder that thankful or not, it was too little too late as far as she was concerned. But instead of ripping the notes to shreds he would just write another thoughtful note to replace it.

Like the one he wrote thanking her for putting her sales receipts at the boutique in date order for him. Or the written message letting her know that he hoped she was still enjoying her lattes he made for her every morning. Or the big message he wrote saying how much he really liked her new shorter haircut.

And still...NOTHING.

But here it was, early on a Monday afternoon in late October and Jason rushed through the automatic doors looking around wildly until he spotted Maxie in the emergency room of Largo Medical Center with Jacob in her lap, a huge bandage around his head and blood on the front of his favorite Spongebob Squarepants t-shirt and Maxie's arm in a sling.

"Are you okay?" Jason immediately went to her bending down on one knee and gently taking Jake out of her arms.

He noticed now that her jeans were ripped and blood was on the scraps of torn denim around her knee. "What happened?"

Jacob crawled into his fathers arms and still didn't say a word. Jason started rubbing his youngest son's back up and down with soft strokes as he stared into Maxie's eyes which immediately welled up with huge tears clouding her vision.

"Me and Jake" _hiccup_ "We were" _hic_ "riding the bike" _cup_ "and a dog" _hiccup._

"Big dog daddy." Jake finally spoke as he pulled his head off Jason's shoulder looking up at his father with matching blue eyes wide with wonder and fear holding his little arms out to show how big. "His mouth was bigger than my whole head"

"A dog attacked you?" He said looking from Jake up to Maxie and then pulling his son in to him so he could kiss the boy's forehead.

Since he received the phone call from the emergency room, he was in a state of panic when the elderly volunteer working in the ER reception area called him because he was listed on the paperwork as the person to contact. It hadn't escaped his notice that Maxie hadn't called him herself but from the looks of the sling and the blood stain on her jeans, she was probably too busy to call him. Jake's head was wrapped in fresh white gauze and he could see an area just above his ear where a big bandage was in place. Maxie also had a bandage he could now see through the small hole in her jeans.

"No Daddy, the dog ran up to the fence and scared us. Then Maxie and I started going all crazy on the sidewalk and then we hit a big bump and I went flying like Superman." Jake used his arm to show how he flew through the air. Then the excitement looked to have hurt his head and he laid it back down on his father's shoulder.

Jason looked up to see tears steadily streaming down Maxie's cheeks and he lifted himself and Jake up to sit beside her in the cold plastic chairs of the waiting room. He shifted Jake in his lap so that he could face Maxie and noticed that under the sling was a temporary cast wrapped in gauze and an ice pack on top.

"You broke your arm?" he asked but then was interrupted.

"Mr. Johnson?" When Jason looked at the long legged brunette in the business skirt and blouse with the reading glasses dangling from a gold chain around her neck, he nodded confirming he was indeed Mr. Johnson. "I'm April. I work here in billing. I need you to sign some forms for me. Jacob Martin is under your group medical through the city but Miss Webster…well if you could get her to just put some form of marking on the line, we can bill her at home for the charges. We're unable to verify her insurance at this point. She was a little shaken up when they got here and all she cared about was Jake. She said she had insurance but didn't know who or where her card is."

"I'll take care of any costs. I'll be glad to give you my credit card now if you need."

"No sir, it's best we bill you at home once we have all the physicians and radiology billed. And my business card is attached to the discharge papers so when you find her insurance card, just fax a copy and I'll file her claims for her. That way you can just pay us once. However, I'll be glad to take your credit card to charge the one hundred dollar co-pay for your son. That would be the only responsibility you'll owe for him." She smiled at the dark blond with the massive chest and wished she was just ten years younger and not married.

"That's fine…" he reached in his back pocket for his wallet and pulled his check cashing card out. Then he took Jake's medical card from her outstretched hand and went to put it into his wallet but then realizing it was Maxie's just held on to it. "Can you ask the doctor who treated them if he has time to speak to me. She's pretty upset and I'd prefer hearing everything from someone older than three."

He smiled up at the woman with that devastatingly gorgeous look and she was a puddle. "Sure, I'll go get Doctor Friedman now. I think I saw him heading into the doctor's lounge a few minutes ago."

"Thank you."

All three watched her walk away and hearing Maxie's sobs diverted his and Jake's attention back to their favorite blond. "Maxie, what…were you guys on the bike?"

Maxie nodded her head and Jason sighed in frustration. The bicycle they bought that had the seat affixed on it for Jake to ride in was too much for Maxie to handle. She was not big enough, strong enough or heavy enough to keep control of the bicycle. Especially since Jacob loved to rock back and forth to be able to see around. That's why when they all went out HE would ride that bike with Jake on back and Maxie had her own bicycle, pink with a basket and Cameron had his bicycle that looked like a Harley.

"Maxie, I've told you a million times it's not safe for you to be riding Jake on that bike. It's hard enough for me to control it. First it's too tall for you and it's heavy, especially with Jake on it. He weighs a third of what you weigh Maxie." He sighed as he leaned back in the chair thankful that it wasn't worse than it could have been. He was imagining cars running over their bodies or flying through the air because a semi hit them.

"Doesn't matter now Daddy. That bike's a piece of shit." Jake said matter of factly.

"JACOB!" Jason barked. "Where did you hear that word?"

"Maxie's gotta put a lot of her toys in the swear box daddy." Jake said with a serious face and then turned to look at Maxie and giggled.

"You little tattle tale." Maxie grumbled but then poked the little boy in the tummy making him giggle.

"No one has to put their toys in the swear box this time...but Jacob Martin...you and I have had the talk about how even if you hear adults swear YOU are no allowed to." Jason said sternly while still rubbing his son's back.

"Okay Daddy." Jake said and then went back to laying his head on his father's shoulder and then pulled the medical card from his hand to look at it.

Just then a young man, not much older than Maxie with dark curly hair and dark eyes wearing a pair of green scrubs and a stethoscope around his neck came up to the threesome.

"I'm Doctor Freidman. April said you wanted to speak with me?" He stopped when he was just in front of them and then smiled at Maxie.

A burst of jealousy sprang through Jason and he fought with all of his might to keep his tone and mannerisms under control. In another time and another place Jason Morgan probably would have just punched him to get his anger out. Then again in another time and another place Jason Morgan rarely felt jealous and when he did he never acted on the feelings simply allowing the woman to handle the situation herself. The only problem was they were never Maxie and he had never fought so hard to gain a woman's attention.

Clearing his throat Jason stood and set his little boy down in the seat he was just occupying. "I'm Jason Johnson. This is my son and this is…"

He didn't know how to answer that. He knew if he said anything more than roommate Maxie would probably break her other arm trying to injure him but 'roommate' just didn't cut it for him anymore. Unfortunately the doctor seemed to know exactly what she was to Jason.

"Your sister in law. Jake's Aunt Maxie. Yes, I was the one attending to the two of them when they came in." He looked around Jason who had physically put himself in between the doctor and Maxie without realizing what he had done.

"She's not my sister in law." Jason growled and then looked back at Maxie who was smiling up at the doctor. He turned back, "What exactly happened here?"

"Oh Maxie didn't tell you?" The doctor looked puzzled but then went into doctor mode. He looked at the woman again and then realized, "Yes well she has been rather upset since the incident. From what she told me when she and Jake came in…they were riding their bike down eighth street coming from Taylor Park. Apparently they rode by a house with a chain link fence and a big dog came running up to the gate barking at them. It was a Rotwieller. At least that's what the older woman who brought them in said. She was the neighbor. She said that if you wanted to get the bike back to come by anytime. She would put it in her garage."

"The neighbor of the house with the dog brought them to the hospital?" Jason asked and turned to see Jake nodding his head in agreement.

"Yes well, Jake here had apparently unlatched his bike helmet as well as the belt so when they crashed he went flying and hit his head on a decorative stump. She said it was quicker to bring them than to call an ambulance since they were so close to the hospital. I did a CT scan and everything looks good. He has no cognitive functional limitations and has been coherent the whole time during my examination. He did cut his head and required four stitches. The instructions in Maxie's hand tells you how to care for his wound. Watch him tonight and if he complains of headaches or gets nauseous then bring him back but I'm pretty sure he's okay. The stitches are the kind that dissolve on their own and it's under his hair so the scar won't be noticeable but some parents prefer to see a plastic surgeon. That's your right. He has prescription for an antibiotic and a topical pain reliever. Other than that, baby aspirin should do the trick. Oh and watch for dizziness. Other than that, he should be fine."

"What about Maxie?" Jason asked when it appeared the doctor wasn't going to continue.

"Maxie? Oh well, she's got a temporary cast. She broke her wrist. The swelling will go down over the next forty eight hours and then we'll put on a permanent cast. She's to see me at my office over on Ulmerton Wednesday afternoon to have the permanent cast put on. One of the nurses here is setting up the appointment with my office."

"Your office?" Jason asked scratching an eyebrow and looking up at the doctor who was just a shade taller than the former enforcer.

"Uh yes, I'm actually an orthopedist. I happened to be in the hospital today because it was my shift for hospital rounds in my practice. Oh but don't worry, I had a neurosurgeon and a pediatric doctor look at Jake's chart. I did the stitching because he was comfortable with me by then but my diagnosis of his CT scan was read by the other two specialists and we all came to the same conclusion. Jake's fine. Don't worry Mr. Johnson."

"I'll decide what to worry about." Jason barked and the medical specialist was taken aback and even did take a step back to get out of arms length. "Now what about Maxie's knee?"

"Oh that…she scraped it up pretty bad but it didn't need stitches or anything. I cleaned it real good and wrapped it. It might swell but as long as she keeps it clean and uses antibiotic ointment on it, she'll be good as new. Now the jeans I think are probably ready for the trash though recently that torn jeans look is coming back." He laughed at his own joke and Jason rolled his eyes when he heard Maxie and then Jake laugh as well.

He knew Jake didn't know why he was laughing, only that Maxie was laughing and for some reason that seemed to be enough for Jake. When he looked back a thought struck him.

"How did you bandage her knee through that little hole in her jeans?" Jason looked straight into Maxie's eyes and when she lowered her gaze to the floor and blushed, suddenly fury built up in him.

"Well…uh…" The young man stammered and then cleared his own throat. He started shuffling his feet and Jason felt his fists clench and unclench.

"Maxie taked her blue jeans off Daddy. That's how. DUH" Jake piped up.

Jason looked at his son then at Maxie who was head to toe blushing red. He now had a full head of steam at the thoughts of her undressed in front of this ass wipe with a medical degree.

"And you had on a gown right?" Jason stood, hands to hips glaring at Maxie. "Tell me you had on a DAMN hospital gown Maxie!"

"Of course she did Mister Johnson." a nurse walked up behind the doctor. "Miss Webster, I made your appointment and here's your paperwork. You all can go now. Mrs. Freidman said that Dr. Freidman would have an opening at four. That way your sales girl will have time to get to your boutique. Mrs. Freidman knows of your boutique by the way, she said she bought a purse from there. She said to tell you she loves the store and can't wait to meet its owner."

Jason visibly relaxed. He could have picked up the small bleached blond nurses assistant with the dogs all over her navy blue scrubs. He could have picked her up and kissed her for telling him in one fell swoop, and Maxie, that the doctor standing before them was married.

Jason could not have been more relieved.

Just then Denny and Dale came bursting through the emergency room doors. Jason turned to see their neighbors and suddenly felt like his gut had been ripped from his stomach. Maxie had called them. Sure the hospital called him and he was here but Maxie had called the neighbors.

All the breath left him and suddenly he was disappointed at the reminder that Maxie didn't want to have anything to do with him.

~%~%~%~%~%~

"So did you take her to get her permanent cast on?" Billy asked as he sunk the four ball into the side pocket.

Jason shot a look over at Dale and walked away toward the garage to get a beer.

"What was that about?" Billy asked his future Grandfather in law.

"Son, one day you'll realize that not all men wear their heart on their sleeve like you do." The older man said matter of factly. He then pointed at the table prodding the man who was betrothed to his only granddaughter to play his next shot.

"What? Jason?..." Billy laughed out loud and shook his head. "Jason's not..." he looked up and watched Jason walking out the door.

"Billy, you really do not pay attention. I know Jason is a quiet man but surely his feelings for Maxie haven't escaped your notice.

Then Jason walked back in the door with three beers. "You're in love with Maxie?"

"What?...NO" Jason looked away. He didn't lie but he didn't tell the truth.

Truth is, he had loved Maxie for years now. It was only now that his feelings were changing from their weird kind of friendship to a more romantic type of feeling. However he hadn't labeled it that type of LOVE yet.

Dale shook his head. "And here I thought you were the most honest man I knew."

"Hey!" Billy feigned being hurt.

"You lied the first time I met you boy."

"But that was because I was applying for a job"

"A lie is a lie." he turned back to Jason. "But a lie to ones self is worse than any lie you could tell another person."

Both younger men turned and sat down on the stools next to the wall. Dale was a man of few words. Very similar to Jason. Yet on occasion he would decide to impart some of his wisdom on his two younger counterparts. Usually how to deal with women, kids, marriage, trouble at work.

And both Jason and Billy would hang on every word.

"If you never tell a person exactly how you feel, you are essentially lying to yourself."

"What if you don't know exactly how you feel?" Jason asked tipping his beer bottle up to his lips.

"Then you tell them that. The point is, if you keep everything inside, you aren't being fair to you or the other person. No one is a mind reader."

"You can read Mrs Watson's mind pretty well." Billy interjected frowning when the six ball bounced off the rail instead of going into the corner pocket.

"I don't read her mind. We've been married for fifty two years. Fifty three next January. You get to know a person so well in that amount of time. It may seem like I am reading her mind but I'm not."

"So you are saying that even though Maxie isn't even speaking to me, I need to tell her what I'm thinking."

"You need to find a way so that she'll listen."

"I've been trying."

"Jason, flowers and special dinners is not actually telling her. And it's not a way to make her open up..." Dale took his first shot and sunk the ten and the thirteen on a rail shot. "You know...I shouldn't tell you guys this but one time, I had to practically tie up Mrs. Watson to get her to listen to me. We had just gotten married and she was upset when she found out her parents and little sister were moving down south. We were still up in Pennsylvania. She wanted to move down with them but I wasn't ready. She hated me and wouldn't talk to me for a week. I locked her in our bathroom and yelled through the door until she finally listened to me."

"Why didn't you want to go?" Billy asked as he watched Dale sink the fourteen in the side pocket.

"I wanted for us to have a life on our own away from her family. Her father was a little overbearing and her mother was always at our apartment."

Jason listened to Dale's story as he was deep in his own thoughts. Finally he said, "So you just forced her to listen to you. I get that...but how do I make Maxie _talk_ to me."

Dale just laughed. "Boy I don't know anyone who likes to talk more that Maxie Webster. You stick around long enough and just keep talking, she'll give in."

"But what about the old saying of...um...something like letting the butterfly run away and if he returns he's yours." Billy said taking a long pull of his beer then wiping his mouth with his shirtsleeve.

Jason looked at Billy, he knew the saying and that was not _quite_ the saying but he understood the jest of it. And Jason was having no part of that. He'd be damned before he let Maxie go. He'd been that route before and all it got him was wasted time.

But Dale...Dale gave him an idea.

~%~%~%~%~

"Jason what are you doing?" Maxie screamed.

"Finally, I got a full sentence out of you."

"GET OUT!"

"Keep yelling and you'll wake Cameron. He's got school tomorrow."

"You are not supposed to be in here."

"Well, you know what Maxie, I've tried to talk to you for a month. I've tried to apologize and tell you that..."

"Oh shut up! You know what...I got to thinking...you keep apologizing and for what? You didn't do anything wrong. We were...well I was tipsy on champagne. I was just a warm body and you hadn't been around a woman..."

"Maxie don't. Don't do that. Not to me and not to yourself."

"Do what?"

"Don't make light of it. I...I don't know what it is between us but...I...I miss you. Fuck Maxie, I see you every day and usually you are the most annoying person that crawls under my skin but that's the whole point...You crawl under my skin. Most people don't get to me...but you do. And you know what's insane that I realized today? I fucking miss you nagging at me and I miss you bitching about the food and the furniture and the ho hum blue collar life you are being forced to live with me and the kids."

"Well this is the most retarded apology I've ever heard. You know when you apologize you aren't supposed to insult the person you wronged Jason. Is that not in the Neanderthal book of how to win friends and influence people?"

"See that right there! I miss it."

"What?"

"You called me a Neanderthal. You always used to tell me how unfeeling and stone like I am and that I'm a beast and a creep. I miss that Maxie. I miss you. The _**real**_ you. And I'm not going to keep apologizing. I think the other day taught us that we need each other. At least it taught me. When I got the call that you and Jake were at the ER...my heart...my heart was in my throat. But not just because Jake was in the hospital hurt...because YOU were in the hospital and hurt."

"Really?"

"Really...and when that doctor was talking to us...I could have sworn he was hitting on you."

"So what if he was?"

"I didn't like it. God help me...I wanted to rip his head off with my bare hands. And when that nurse came out and talked about his wife...all I felt was relief."

"Maybe Mrs. Freidman is his mother."

"She's not."

"How do you know?"

"I know."

"You checked?"

"I checked."

"Oh my...you really checked?"

"I checked. Now can we not focus on that?"

"No I think I want to focus on that a little longer. So you were jealous?"

"Yes."

"And you don't want to share me?"

"Nope"

"Then how do you think I felt when you came home with that...that...that other skank's stench and claw marks and bite marks all over you."

"I don't know Maxie...that's the problem. This is all new...to both of us. But I know I fucked up. And I know I regret every moment from the time I drove away from you to the time I walked back in the door and saw you come running at me down the hallway."

"You do?"

"I do."

"So what does this mean?"

"I don't know."

"Well I don't want to be second choice."

"I can't promise you anything."

"I'm not asking for promises. I know how this works. I'm not twenty one and annoying you about making Spinelli forgive me for something I did. Or asking you to bail me out of one of my many many schemes. Or paying someone to act like my stalker or to set up the other girl to be embarrassed. I've been trying really hard over the past few years...especially the past few months. I mean I haven't even done anything mean to ruin my relationship with Hannah. That's like a record for me. I mean seriously...And I just can't get the thought or the image of that hickey out of my mind. I'm trying to be an adult about this but...my instincts...."

"I'm not asking you to forgive me for...slee...for...what happened that night. I'm just asking that we start over. That we just get back to where we were."

"I don't know if we can Jason. You know you really hurt me that night. I tried calling you to tell you that there was nothing between me and Spinelli anymore."

"I know."

"I left messages but I guess you were busy. I just don't know if I can..."

"I'm not asking you to...I'm just asking that me, you, Cam and Jake get back to being the family that we were."

"You think of us as a family?"

"Maxie...we ARE a family."

"I feel that way too. I've felt that way for so long now. I mean sure Mac and Robin and Georgie were my family but us...we're like a real family. It's healthy for me and I think for you and the boys too."

"So from here we'll just play things as they come. That's all I'm asking."

"But you said you were jealous."

"I was."

"So that means..."

"I am...and I don't know exactly what that means."

"What? Wait...you are what?"

"Just...just give me a chance Maxie."

"I can't trust you."

"You can."

"You really hurt me."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't do it again."

"I promise."

"Is this settled?"

"I don't know...is it?"

"Well it needs to be...the water turned cold and if I don't get out of the shower I'm probably going to freeze to death."

"I'll leave then but you have to promise me something."

"What?"

"When you get dressed you'll come talk to me..._really_ talk to me."

"I promise."

At that, he stood from where he was sitting on the toilet seat next to the shower and took one last look at the perfectly curved body he had been watching through the nearly sheer shower curtain and left the master bathroom. Watching her the whole time had affected parts of his body and he didn't know how much more he was going to be able to take without losing all self control and just ripping his clothes off and climbing into the shower with her.

As he walked down the hallway he smiled. They still had a lot to figure out but Dale's advice had worked. She was talking to him. And now all he had to do was keep that open line of communication.

And not screw it up.


	11. Chapter 10

A/N: So sorry about the delay of this chapter. I have been on a long bout of wanting to read more than write. Oh...and a strangely crack cocaine like addiction to FarmTown on Facebook. Lordy lordy lordy. Well, in my absence...this fic has not escaped my thoughts...and you know what I came up with? It's going to have a sequel. My first sequel and it's a Jaxie fic. I am sure some of my Liason friends are rolling their eyes and PM'ing mean things to me right now. :-} Anyhoo...I just love these two...not sure how this chapter will come across but...we're getting there...soon~!!!

Chapter 10

"Did you know that my real name is Mariah Maximilliana Jones?"

"Hmmm?...no...no I didn't." Jason was pulled from his thoughts.

They had been sitting on the back patio for hours since Maxie came out of her room. At first Maxie came out in a short silk robe but Jason groaned, covered his eyes and told her to go get dressed. He wanted to take things slow with her and tonight, he really just wanted to talk. Get back to that place they were before the night of the wedding. Her in a short silk robe would have been too distracting so he was glad when she came back in soft yellow jogging pants and a baggy white retro t-shirt with Def Leppard on the front.

"Yep, I was named after my Grandmother. She was Aztec royalty...or Mexican royalty. I'm not really sure but I don't think I'm royalty. I guess I don't really know. I wonder if Spinelli could find out for me." She nervously twisted the bottom of her t-shirt.

They had moved from the outdoor sofa to one of the lounge chairs and Maxie was sprawled out sideways between Jason's legs. Jason was rubbing his hand up and down her back as he watched the stars twinkle in the sky. Maxie, of course, had her mini laptop and was shopping online while they talked. She'd ask his opinion on dresses and such at first but after the fourth time of him saying 'whatever is fine' she stopped asking.

Jason kept the topic of discussion from straying too far but they had worked through most of what Jason felt had to be said and now he was just listening to her ramble. It felt good to hear Maxie talk about whatever popped into her head. He had become so accustomed to it. She was very similar to Spinelli in a way when she would just start talking, jumping around topics and most of the time making absolutely no sense but always coming to some sort of point that eventually he would decipher and understand. And he was pretty good at weeding through all the ridiculous sentences to find the true meaning of the conversation. When they were on the boat she would come up on deck to the captains quarters and sit behind him and ramble for hours while he steered them toward the next port of call.

Back then many of her discussions annoyed him but on days when she didn't come up, he'd found that he missed the noise. Although he would have never admitted that back then. He would grumble and complain and groan. Many times he would bark for her to shut up but then silently to himself would smile and appreciate the fact that she NEVER listened to him.

He'd come to rely on Maxie. She was an integral part of his world now and the past month had been torturous. Never in a million years did he think he would hate her silence. But things were at least somewhat back to normal now. Except there was this new factor to the equation. She was laying in his arms.

"So your grandmother was royalty but you don't think you are? That doesn't even make sense Maxie. If she has royal blood and you are blood related then you have some lineage of royalty."

"So like I could be a Princess or something like that?" she said excitedly as she sat up and turned to face him.

"Oh you're a Princess alright." he laughed and pulled her back down.

She settled on his chest again and sighed. "This is weird isn't it."

"What is?" he asked looking down at her as she peered up at him.

"You and me...sitting here...like this. It's....weird."

"Maybe a little but....it's also kind of nice." he said as he brushed her hair out of her eyes. "Listening to you talk about nothing, the stars, the cool fall breeze."

"That's not what I mean and you know it." She pushed up and away from him moving off the chair before he could catch her.

"I know but I'm...I don't want to push this Maxie. There's too much at stake." He reasoned as he stood and walked over to her near the sliding glass door to the house.

He put his hands on her shoulders and turned her around. "Look...there's two little boys in that house that depend on us. Not just me...us. If we aren't careful with this we could wind up destroying them in the process. Not just each other....Jake and Cam. I cannot do that Maxie. They've already been through so much in their short little lives and if I were to screw this up with you and you leave..."

"I don't think my relationship with the boys could ever be ruined because of you and me. I love those boys Jason."

"I know you do."

"I wouldn't..."

He cut her off, "You already did."

"Did what?" she stomped her foot and clenched her one fist. He was not making any sense.

He leaned down to capture her eyes with his. "It took Brittany calling you telling you that Jake was crying to get you to realize that our problem was affecting your relationship with the boys."

Guilt flooded her senses and tears welled up in her eyes. "I didn't mean to hurt them Jason. I was just...so mad at you."

Jason cringed at her whispered confession and pulled her into his arms and held her tight. "I know. I know Maxie. I think we really need to take this slow and one step at a time. Just having you in my arms is...different for us. Usually you are throwing things at me."

"Oh I'll probably still throw things at you." She smiled. "But I like this too."

"Yeah, so do I." He saw the clock on the wall in the house and saw that it was well after midnight. "Listen, we have to work tomorrow. Why don't I see if I can't find us a babysitter and you and I go out to dinner tomorrow night?"

"You mean like a date?" she asked pulling back to look him in the eyes.

"Yeah, a date."

"But Hannah wanted to do something for my birthday." Elizabeth sighed.

She pulled from his arms and went to the coffee table to pick up their dishes. Jason had some coffee and Maxie had a peach wine cooler. The wine cooler gave her the courage to climb into Jason's lap when he moved to the lounge chair from the sofa.

On the sofa they almost kissed and he backed away needing space between them but Maxie didn't want space, she wanted that intimacy a man and a woman share. It'd been so long. So she just stood and went to him and climbed into his lap. She didn't push for a kiss but he didn't push her away either so they compromised.

She missed being in a man's arms. And Jason's strong arms were like sitting on a cloud in Heaven.

"Your birthday is tomorrow?" Jason asked, trying to remember. He knew last year they were in Paris getting the boat purchased and prepared for their launch but he couldn't remember the date of her birthday. All he remembered was her tantrum that he had ruined her life and her twenty fourth birthday.

Or maybe they were already under weigh.

She'd had so many tantrums back then and they ALL ended with the fact that Jason had ruined her life.

He scrubbed the side of his face embarrassed that he could not remember her birthday. He really had mistreated Maxie their first year together. She had grown up so much in the past year he sometimes forgot how young and naïve she was back then. Guilt flooded him as he realized that she had, for so long, simply been an afterthought to him or at best...his nanny. And still here she was.

If nothing else, the girl was tenacious. He'd have given up long ago but she was determined if for no other reason than for the boys.

Or maybe back then just to torture him.

"No it's Sunday but we'll be too busy with the boys so Hannah wanted to do something tomorrow."

Again she pulled him from his thoughts and her words caused his smile to turn downward and his brows to crease in worry.

"What are we doing with the boys Sunday other than our usual dinner...." he paused and looked at her. "We _are _going to get back to that routine aren't we? I really liked our schedule. Especially Sunday's and Thursday's because usually it was just the four of us. You know...family night."

He smiled at his own comment. _Family Night_. He could _really_ get used to that. He hadn't felt like he had his own family since it was just him, Michael and Robin. A time that seemed a lifetime away.

And in reality, it was.

With a wave of her hand she dismissed him and pulled open the door, sliding through the small opening with the wine glass in her uninjured arm and the mug in hand. "Of course but Sunday is Halloween. Remember?...Jake wants to be a Transformer and Cameron wants to be an Astronaut ever since that former astronaut came to his school. I can't believe you've forgotten that. Vonnie worked her butt off making Cameron's costume and I searched all over for Jake's until I finally gave up and ordered it online."

"Oh...right." He nodded.

He had to open the door further to gain access for his much larger frame. He followed her to the kitchen then back out to the patio where she picked up her cell phone and her mini laptop. She turned around to walk back into the house and ran smack into Jason's chest.

"You need to put out the fire." She harrumphed bouncing off of Jason so hard she dropped her phone.

Jason bent down to pick it up and then grabbed Maxie's good arm as she moved past him. "Hey...what's going on here?"

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"Yes you do. I said I wanted to take things slow and then asked you on a date and you haven't stopped moving or running your mouth since."

"Well that was rude. Do you think that's how to make woman fawn all over you? You say mean things? You JERK!" She pulled herself from his grasp. Her lips forming a thin line of aggrevation.

"Hey look...I didn't say anything that wasn't true. You have been babbling about costumes and birthdays and...Are you upset I forgot when your birthday was?"

"No...NO." She suddenly realized how that must have seemed.

She never expected him to remember her birthday. She just wasn't sure how to handle this new factor in their lives.

A date!

She could not remember when she last went out on a date that wasn't arranged by Kate at Crimson where the man was being paid to escort her around town. Although in the end, that turned out to be more sexual and less professional.

Then there was Spinelli. Sure they had done plenty of things together. At one point before she left Port Charles they were practically inseparable for nearly a year. But that was just friendship. At least is was for her. Even if they had sex a few times, she mostly did it to appease him. He was her essential person after all. Whatever it took to keep him around, she did. And that included having sex with him.

Before that was Logan and she used him and blackmailed him. Then of course Coop.

They dated but even that relationship was filled with issues because she could not be honest.

Then there was Robbie but of course that was a total disaster and she preferred to forget about that lost month of her life. She had really tried and he used her. She thanked God everyday for Jason stepping in on that one. Regardless of her misdeeds in the dating world, she deserved better than Robbie and his friends.

Then, of course, she had gone on what some would call dates with Jason...along with Billy and Hannah but they weren't really dates. It was just Jason and Maxie along as another couple for their friend's date.

But now...

Wincing in front of the dishwasher as she put their glasses in it she pulled her too heavy cast up in front of her chest. Jason noticed and went to the cabinet where they kept the medicine.

"Maxie, you've over done it today. You are supposed to have your arm up to reduce the swelling."

Changing the subject she turned and watched him get her a bottled water from the refrigerator and count out two pain pills from her medicine bottle. "Do you think Jake will have another nightmare tonight?"

"I don't know."

"I feel horrible Jason. If I had just listened to you...you were right...you're always right." She rolled her eyes at the admission. "That bike with Jake on it was too much. That may have been the only time I wrecked but we had quite a few close calls leading up to it. It's just..." She hesitated and he picked up on it immediately.

"Maxie...it's just what?"

"Nothing." She picked up the dish towel and unfolded it then refolded it.

Jason pulled the towel out of her hand then handed over the pills and the water. "Take these."

"I'll be okay."

"Take them Maxie. You don't have to be at work early, you can sleep in. I'll get the boys up and take them to school. You're over doing everything. You think I haven't noticed but...you've been doing too much since Monday when you should be recovering. This happened to you too you know."

"But Jake...he's just a little boy Jason and he's having nightmares and it's all because of me. I never should have gone on that damn bike. You...over and over you've told me...Why didn't I listen to you?"

"You were mad at me? You wanted to show me I was wrong maybe?" he interjected the questions because normally she would have never done that. It was usually him and the boys begging her to get on her bicycle and ride with them to the park. As a matter of fact, the last time they had ridden the bike to Taylor Park she complained that the work he and Billy were doing at the entrance to tie in to the sewage system made the bugs worse so she didn't want to go back until he was finished.

And suddenly it dawned on him.

They weren't finished.

And she knew it.

He had talked with her a lot about the project they were doing at Taylor Park and he told her that it would be completed just in time for the Parade of Holiday Lights that the city put on throughout the park starting the week before Christmas.

"You were coming to see me." He breathed as the realization shot through him. He moved closer. Suddenly he wanted her close. To feel her.

"What?...No" she turned around putting her back to him as she took the pills, popped them into her mouth and swallowed them.

Jason came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her middle pulling her into his chest. "You missed me."

"No...Jake...he wanted...I..." She moved to pull from his arms but he held her tighter.

"Admit it. You and Jake were headed to the park because if Billy and I had been working there, we would have HAD to see you. Then I would have been upset because you were on the damn bike and...Jeez Maxie...you could have been killed. You and Jake could have been killed because you were being so damn stubborn."

He leaned his head down and put his forehead to the back of her head. Maxie stood stiff, knowing that she had been caught. She had figured out while sitting in the hospital waiting on the results of Jake's CT scans holding Jake in her lap that all of this was her fault because she was ready to stop shutting Jason out but in her own warped mind she needed him to be mad at her to break the ice. Subconsciously she set out on that bike with Jake just to tick Jason off and probably make him stop work, yell at her, put the bike in the truck and drive them home. Yelling at her the whole way.

But then Jason wasn't there. The city's Welcome Sign near City Hall had been mowed down the night before and Jason and Billy volunteered to rebuild the brick wall. Had they not volunteered, they would have been out front and just as Maxie suspected, Jason would have reacted exactly how she thought.

Realizing that what happened happened and nothing could change it, he breathed her in. "I'm sorry I wasn't there."

"Jason you're making up things in your mind. Jake just wanted to go to the park and it was a nice day and..."

"I thought we promised to be honest and open with each other." He grumbled and loosened his grip enough to turn her around to face him. He lifted her cast and put it over his shoulder effectively making her hug him. "Be honest with me Maxie. I want to hear it. I want you to tell me I'm right. Your intention was to run into me and upset me so that I would lose my temper."

"What if it was?"

"You don't have to do that Maxie. You don't have to make the elaborate schemes or do the crazy things that no one understands to get my attention. I promise you Maxie..."

"It was not a scheme!" She again tried to pull away but when her cast slipped off his shoulder it bent her fingers back and she sucked in a breath from the pain it caused. Unable to control it, she started crying and Jason could do nothing but watch, knowing he'd pushed just that little bit too far.

Maxie was unsure of herself. Her only recent relationship where she didn't try to manipulate had backfired on her severely. She was trying to change. Trying to grow and mature and have an adult relationship with him and...well all of the people in their orbit nowadays. He needed to support that but instead his natural instinct is to point it out and tell her she's wrong.

Suddenly they were both torn from their thought at Jake's screaming. The boy had been having nightmares about dogs since the incident. Apparently, after talking to the woman who lived next door that had driven them up to the hospital, the dog really scared Jake and that's why Maxie lost control of the bike. Jake was trying to get away from the dog and all his weight shifted causing her to go off of the sidewalk and then hit a sprinkler head which sent them both flying. The woman had been working at her kitchen sink and watched the whole thing play out.

Both adults took off toward Jake's room and as soon as they got to the foot of Jake's bed the little boy launched himself at Maxie. Jason leaped to help her because she could not hold the little boy easily with her injured arm. He pulled her down into his lap with Jake in hers.

"The big dog was gonna get me again." Jake cried through tears into Maxie's chest.

"Sweetie, the big dog isn't going to get you. He didn't even get you the first time." Maxie said cradling Jake.

Jason reached around Maxie and smoothed his hand down Jakes back brushing fingertips with Maxie. "Son, do you think you would feel better if you slept in Daddy's bed tonight?"

"Want Maxie." Jake murmured.

"Maxie just took some medicine. She needs...she's going to fall a sleep soon and won't wake up if you have another nightmare."

"WANT MAXIE" Jake said again with more zeal.

Jason looked at Maxie, in his arms, on his lap, with his son in her arms and on her lap and suddenly his heart swelled ten times its normal size. The only thing missing was Cameron.

And as if right on cue, a sleepy, curly mop headed boy wearing camouflage pj's came wandering into Jake's room rubbing his eyes. "Did Jake have another bad dream?"

"Yes...I'm sorry he woke you buddy." Jason spread his legs apart so that Maxie and Jake were on one knee and patted the other as invitation for Cameron to climb up.

He did so quickly and leaned his head against Jason's chest. "He's made me wake up every night. I think he's gonna wake us up every night for the rest of our lives. All cause he afraid of a stupid dog."

"Cameron...the word stupid is not a nice word. Do you need a privilege taken away?" Maxie asked as she kissed the top of Jake's head. The boy still had not stopped crying and was clinging to Maxie as if his life depended on it.

Suddenly Jason had an idea and hoped Maxie would be susceptible to it.

"Why don't we all have a sleep over like we did when the bad storm came through? Remember, all four of us slept in Daddy's bed." He glanced at Maxie whose eyes grew wide at his suggestion and then quickly kept going so she couldn't answer yet. "Maxie took some medicine that's going to make her sleepy and I'm going to worry about her so I'll never get any sleep because I'll have to keep going to her room and check on her. And Jake had a nightmare so he'll probably sleep better if he's with Maxie."

Jake nodded so Jason kept going, hoping he was convincing Maxie enough to agree. "And of course then I'll also worry about Jake because of the nightmares and because Maxie will sleep too soundly from the medicine to hear Jake if he has another one. And then there's Cam here....He hasn't gotten a good nights sleep in a week. He has a spelling test tomorrow. He needs his rest."

Cameron nodded in agreement and Jason and Maxie both smiled at the little boy.

"So the solution is for all of us to pile into my bed and sleep for the night."

The room was silent and Jason worried that he had made a ridiculous plea just because he really just wanted to keep Maxie in his arms. He loved waking up that morning after the storm. Maxie had shifted and the boys were on one side and Maxie was pressed with her back against his chest and they were spooning. She wasn't even awkward when she woke up. She laid there and ran her fingers though Jake and Cams hair and then after what seemed like hours of bliss but was really only about fifteen minutes, she sat up turned to Jason and said, 'I'll start resetting clocks and opening the hurricane shutters to check the windows, you check the yard and roof for damage.' And from then on, Jason would imagine waking up with his arms wrapped around her just like he had that morning.

Finally Jake was the one to make the decision. "No Daddy...I like Maxie's room better. It's pretty. We all sleep in Maxie's room tonight. Go get your jammies."

With that the little boy hopped down from Maxie's lap and headed over to the head of his bed to find his stuffed gorilla then turned and headed out the door. Cameron took Jake's cue and headed toward his own room to get his Chuggin Charlie pillow. Jason wrapped his arms around Maxie to keep her in place and gave her thigh a little pat. He looked up at her and saw she had a sparkle of humor in her eyes and her smile was huge.

"What?" He asked suddenly embarrassed.

"You came up with all of that and all you had to say was you wanted me to sleep with you."

"Maxie" he droned.

"No...I was just told by you that we promised to be honest."

He looked back up at her and realized she had him by rights pinned. "Okay so what if I did?" he asked not sure he wanted to hear her response.

"You did." She patted his cheek and stood and walked toward her room without a glance back knowing that Jason would not even take five minutes to pull on a pair of sweats and a tank top and race to her room.

He made it in two minutes flat.

~%~%~%~%~

The next few weeks had flown by in a blur. It was the week of Thanksgiving and Jason had a little surprise for Maxie. Bobbie and Mac were coming for the weekend.

Maxie was a nervous wreck. Jason had decided that it would just be the four of them for Thanksgiving. He flat turned down Denny's invitation to join the Watsons at their house for dinner. That meant that she had to cook. Maxie had no idea that Bobbie and Mac were coming so the fear of proving herself as the matriarch of their little family nucleus was terrifying. Especially now with the new state of hers and Jason's relationship.

Jason laughed at her knowing that Bobbie would be there to cook the turkey and Mac would be there to make his famous Scorpio Stuffing that he fell in love with when he was dating Robin so many years ago. Maxie wouldn't even need to set the table because he had found a book at a local children's bookstore that taught the kids how to set a formal dinner table and other such etiquette lessons.

All Maxie and her now half casted arm would have to do is enjoy the day and eat and be around her Uncle Mac.

Jason was a little nervous that Mac was coming now that he and Maxie were changing courses. They were working slowly to become a couple. But Jason wanted Mac's approval because he knew that Mac's opinion was the only one that would ever matter to Maxie. In all her years as Mac's ne'er do well daughter, bringing home loser after loser or hooking up with married men, dangerous men, made men or ill intentioned men; Mac had always worried that she would never change.

But she had.

And he was partly why.

And he wanted Mac to tell her it was okay. That HE was okay.

It was a long shot but maybe since he was no longer in the mob Mac would remember his better qualities as a human being.

He had made up his mind. He would lay low for the weekend. He would sleep in the bottom bunk in Cameron's room and Jake would sleep either with him because the bottom bunk is a double bed or with Maxie, where he had been sleeping most nights since their accident. Mac would get Jake's room and Bobbie would get his. He wished it had a full bathroom but Bobbie had assured him over the phone that all she needed to do was pack a proper robe and she would share Maxie's bathroom with her.

He was going to talk to Bobbie when they first got there. He had always had a special relationship with Bobbie Spencer and trusted her judgment. He wanted her approval if he was honest with himself. He knew that regardless of her feelings she would be open and honest with him. Then after the whole five days of Mac and Bobbie being with them, he would approach Mac before they left to take him and Bobbie to the airport.

That way if Mac hated the idea, Jason would only have to watch his back for an hour or two.

Since that first night when all four of them piled into Maxie's bed, Jason had been sneaking into her room at night if Jake wasn't there. Nothing more than her in his arms had happened. Maybe a light kiss to her forehead or a kiss behind her ear but Jason was fine with that progress.

Besides, Jake didn't allow for him to sneak into her room too many nights.

However, Jason's dreams were becoming increasingly sexual and involving Maxie in all sorts of situations. Always ending just before she would drop her towel or climb into bed with him. He wanted so badly just to kiss her. He wanted to taste her lips and swirl his tongue with hers.

Yet awake, there never seemed to be the right time for him to act on his desires. Someone was always there or he would mistakenly put his foot in his mouth being critical of her for some reason.

They had gone on a few dates and held hands a few times walking through the park or sitting on the same side of the booth when they were out with Billy and Hannah. But each time the mood was right or the opportunity presented itself, something or someone would get in the way.

His favorite time with her, though, was when they would put the boys to bed and then head out to the patio to lay in the lounge chair and talk. She would climb in between his legs and lay sideways on his chest and talk about anything and everything. He would lay silent listening to her while looking up at the clear autumn sky.

It was a peace he had longed his whole life for.

This night was no different. It was Tuesday and tomorrow he would pick Bobbie and Mac up from the airport mid afternoon so that they were at the restaurant waiting when Maxie, Jason and the boys headed over after their usually Thursday routine at the boutique.

He was ready for this whole thing to be over with because he hated lying to Maxie. And he had seemingly done a lot of that over the past week.

She questioned why he wanted such a big turkey for two adults and two kids. He avoided the lie by reminding her that she ate less than Cameron so really it was three kids but that he loved left overs. Which technically wasn't a lie.

She also questioned why he hadn't bought a ready made pumpkin pie. Denny, of all people, helped him avoid that lie by saying she was making extras. She and Dale were aware that Maxie's 'mom' and the man who had originally moved them...'a family friend' of theirs, was coming for the holiday to surprise Maxie.

Then there was why just today he had hired a maid to come clean the house. He said it was because with her broken arm he knew she couldn't keep up with everything and that he hired the girl to make her happy. She was happy and had even suggested that they keep the maid coming once a week.

Jason rolled his eyes at her suggestion but secretly thought maybe he would go ahead and hire the maid simply so that their time could be spent with each other instead of doing the weekly household chores.

Finally, they were ready to turn in. Jason already knew that Jake was in Maxie's bed having watched the little boy go there about an hour ago when he went in to get Maxie another wine cooler.

They had talked about the situation. Jason felt that the only way they were going to help Jake get past his newfound fear of dogs was to get one of their own. He had been researching online which canine would be the best family dog. But when he mentioned it to Maxie, she wanted a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. The toy size.

So Jason had been looking in to those dogs too. He could give her the puppy she wanted as well as get a good family dog for the boys. Two dogs wouldn't be much more work than one he figured. He'd checked into obedience schools and kennels around the Tampa area. He'd already decided on rescuing a dog from the animal shelter for the boys. One with lab or retriever in it. Then he had found a highly recommended breeder of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels in the Bradenton area that had a new litter of puppies.

He was going to make a family day the first Saturday of their Christmas Vacation to go to Bradenton and pick out Maxie's dog and then go to the pound to pick the dog for the boys. He figured since he was off for the two weeks, taking vacation time along with the city's closing for the holiday week between Christmas and New Year, and Maxie was closing the store for the two weeks, giving Brittany a paid holiday, they would all be able to bond and get a routine with the new additions to their home.

Maxie had decided to close the boutique because Brittany had wanted most of the time off anyway. Maxie had her online "virtual" store business booming. You could go online and look at every item currently being sold in the store. It was an added feature that took only another half hour of their time on Thursdays when the new items came in to the store.

Cameron wanted to help so he was in charge of holding the clothes real still while Brittany took the pictures to load onto the website. Then he was in charge of writing down the numbers on the tags that tied into the online store for the clothes they were pulling from or adding to their inventory. He was becoming a big helper.

Jake was a big helper too. He was in charge of going around and dusting the shelves and then holding the tags and the hangers for Maxie while she unloaded the new shipments.

Both Maxie and Jason had commented on how the boutique was now a family business. _**Their**_ family business. And each time, Jason's heart clinched and beat faster at the realization that this was a dream come true for him.

Everything was moving slow but was falling into place and right along with Jason's plans. Once he got Mac's approval, he would move forward with Maxie. First telling the boys and explaining to them that Daddy and Maxie were now a couple. He knew that they would only understand so much but he saw how confused Michael would get when he was younger and didn't want that for his boys. It would cause Michael to lash out in the most destructive of ways when Sonny or Carly or even sometimes Jason would neglect to explain to him the nature of their relationships with others such as Jax, Kate and Sam. He wouldn't do that to his sons.

Then he would move on with Maxie. Take the next obvious steps. Sleeping in her bed and actually **sleeping** was wearing on him. He wanted to feel her soft flesh against his. He wanted to taste every inch of her body. He wanted to feel her surrounding him from the inside out. Take her lips in the most intimate way. Touch her breasts that had been begging for his attention. Feel her wrap her legs around his waist as he sunk into her.

Making love to her was now an obsession. He'd done slow and easy, now he was ready. And she was ready. And by Christmas, he planned to know Maxie Webster biblically and hopefully have her in his bed or him in hers every night for the rest of their lives.

If he could just get Jake out of there.

Maxie pulled him from his thoughts as she extricated herself from his arms. He tensed and grabbed her hips roughly and pulled her back to him.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked, the huskiness in his voice telling her his thoughts had been impure.

"To bed. It's past midnight again."

"I know. This is my favorite time of the day though." He admitted, not ashamed.

"I feel the same way Jason. I look forward to this every day. I...I almost want to turn the clocks ahead so the boys go to sleep earlier."

She giggled at her confession and Jason smiled back at her. Her blue eyes were startling in the moon light. Her smile becoming something he would strive to see every day. He tucked her hair behind her ear. She had been wearing it like the old glamorous movie stars from the old black and white movies he always watched. He wondered if she had changed her style to match that _because_ he watched them. He didn't ask though because he would rather believe that she had. The big soft waves like Betty Grable or Marilyn Monroe. It made her look older, sexier. And it turned him on to no end.

"You know...I...I was wondering...How do you feel lately?"

"Me? I'm fine...the wrist doesn't hurt at all and other than the fact that the cast itches I'm pretty much back to normal." She sat up and turned to face him again. She loved laying her head on his chest and listening to his heartbeat. She imagined it beat out specially for her. That it maybe beat a little faster because of her.

And it did.

"That's not what I meant but I am glad you are feeling well." He tipped her chin up to look her in the eyes. "I meant how do you feel about us? I know we're taking it slow and that's good but..."

"I'm ready." She admitted cutting off his words.

Shocked he blinked and then saw the confession in her eyes and smiled. "You're ready?"

"Yeah...maybe that can be my Christmas present."

"What?"

"You...me...us..._together_."

"I think that would be _**my**_ Christmas present."

"Well if that's the case, maybe you've been a good boy and Mrs. Claus will let you open your present for Thanksgiving instead of Christmas."

Jason groaned at the thought and mindlessly thrust his hips forward into her side. She could feel the semi-hard on he had and rolled to her stomach to rub her chest against his.

"Jason?....Kiss me" She whispered and he grabbed her under her arms and pulled her slowly up his body until their breath was mingling.

Slowly he set her atop his body and shifted so that he cradled her between his legs then tucked a loose curl behind her ear again while studying her face. Maxie closed her eyes and sighed such a contented sound that Jason had to smile. Then he lowered his head to capture her lips in his.

He started out nipping, simply brushing his lips against hers tasting the lip gloss that shimmered in the moon's light. Vanilla. Then he bit at her bottom lip to entice her to react. It worked. She parted her lips with a hitch to her breath at the feel of his teeth on her bottom lip.

That was all he needed to slip his tongue into her hot wet mouth.

She angled her head so that he could gain more access and he smoothed and splayed his calloused hand over her neck.

His tongue searched hers out and from the moment the two touched, the electrical energy flowing from man to woman was enough to light a city. He swirled his tongue around hers and he pulled her neck so that her head angled up as he searched with his tongue for each crevice and cavern inside her delicate mouth.

And it was addicting. And he was lost to her. Forever.

As soon as their tongues mated he knew he would never get enough. He grew painfully harder and shifted to let her know just how she was affecting him. Maxie groaned at the feel of his stiff cock pressing into her stomach. She slid down slightly and it was Jason's turn to groan when she shrugged her shoulders and he could feel the swell of her breasts surrounding the tip of his dick.

He broke the kiss and pushed at her. If he didn't stop now, he wouldn't. And that didn't follow along with the plan he had made for himself.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing. You...we...you need to head to bed before we can't stop."

"Why do we have to stop?" she asked, looking up at him with a mixture of passion and hurt in her eyes.

Jason had to look away. Guilt and desire swirling inside him and battling to win him over. His guilt because he was not being clear and confusing her was hurtful and the desire that had built up warring for him to forget her feelings or the fact that this wasn't right, that she deserved more than simply a sexual release. She deserved to see and feel his true feeling for her.

A special night, just the two of them, a nice dinner, maybe that dancing thing that he enjoyed so much and had started this whole journey to discovering their newfound feelings for each other.

He was falling in love with Maxie. And when they finally gave in to their passion, he wanted it to be perfect. And a Tuesday night when Jake was in her bed and they had to work the next morning and her father was going to be there the next day was NOT the right time to finally take action on their growing feelings.

"We're ready Maxie but I want it to be perfect. That's why I've waited so long to kiss you. I knew once I did I wouldn't want to stop. And I don't. But..."

"You want to make it perfect for me?" She sat up fully and smiled the prettiest smile he'd ever seen.

Never had a man wanted everything to be perfect for her when they had sex. And that's what made her smile...with Jason...it wouldn't just be sex. She'd had guys treat her like...well like she supposed she was giving off the vibe she wanted to be treated. Taken in a dark dirty corner or slept with her only to get ahold of the bag of pills she had pilfered for him. Sex as a payoff of a bet or a bribe. But Jason...Jason wanted it to be perfect for her.

And that in itself was perfect to her.

"I do. You deserve to be treated special. I WANT to make you feel special."

"Then when?" She trailed a lone digit from his bellybutton to his chest then swirled around a t-shirt covered nipple and back down to dip into his belly button.

He groaned and backed away standing up and lifting a leg over her head to get away from her. He then turned around and held out his hand to her to help her to her feet. She obliged him but when he pulled her up she slid her arms around his waist.

"When?" She whispered lowering her lips to his chest.

"OH GOD....SOON....really fucking soon." He backed away from her pulling her hands from around him and then pulling her behind him toward the door, then through the door and toward the hallway that led to her bedroom.

"I'll plan our next date first thing tomorrow...and I'll find an overnight babysitter for the boys and...."

He turned around to look at her and saw her smile and recognized it. This was the 'Maxie has something up her sleeve' smile. It confused him but he wasn't surprised. Maxie was the poster child for 'something up her sleeve'.

He let go of her hands and put them on her shoulders and pulled her closer but not touching. "What's going on in that pretty little head of yours?"

"Jason...now that we are dating can I..."

And suddenly he knew and let out a growl.

"No"

"But"

"No"

She stomped her foot in frustration. "You don't even know..."

"I don't need to know. If it comes from your mouth and starts with Jason can I, the answer is no...not just now...always NO!"

"That's not fair!"

"Life's not fair."

"What if I was going to say Jason can I give you a blow job?" She put her one hand on her hip while waving her broken arm at him trying to point a few crooked fingers at him.

His eyebrow arched as he contemplated the thought, feeling his cock twitch at the mention and then twitch again when his eyes quickly darted to her mouth then he looked her in the eyes and smirked. "Just what I thought. You weren't going to ask to do..._that_. Besides, even if you were, the answer would still be no. We aren't there yet Maxie."

"Says who?" She turned away from him. She didn't want him to see her smile.

His reaction to her suggestion was exactly what she wanted to see. He took that three seconds to contemplate it which meant it had crossed his mind before. Only when she finally did have sex with him and get to do what most men had told her was what she did best, it would be nothing like what he had imagined. It would be better and he would be hooked.

And then for him to admit that it was something that he definitely considered a part of their future together. He said '_our_' and '_we_' and '_us_' a lot in the past few weeks. Words had never sounded better to her. Especially when he referred to all four of them, Cam, Jake, Jason and Maxie, as a '_family_' it made her melt just a little inside each time.

"So we aren't there yet but we will be?...Someday?...Soon?"

He walked over and turned her toward her bedroom gave her a little shove and finished it off with a light pat on her ass.

"We will...someday...soon...but what you were asking will still be no!"

She waved her hand in the air as she kept walking down the hallway toward her bedroom smiling the whole time and tingling inside from that simple gesture of possession.

"You have no idea." She murmured mostly to herself silently wondering where the Nieman Marcus catalog was.

"You aren't redecorating anything in this house. You already got away with the new living room furniture I am still not over the fact that you got rid of my favorite couch and you aren't changing the way I dress."

She stopped cold in her tracks and turned around unable to pull her gaping mouth closed. "How did you?..."

"Her Royal Highness Mariah Maximillianna...you think I ignore you...you think I don't listen...I hear every word...I listen...and the answer is NO...it will always be NO!"

He turned and walked silently to his room and shut the door as Maxie stood in the hallway floored at his confession.

He listens to her.

He hears every word.

When did that start?


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"You know...I really have a lot to do tonight Jason. Can't we just order a pizza or something? I mean it's not Thursday so it's not like we'd be breaking tradition with the boys. I have to make stuffing. I really wish I had my Dad's recipe. And...you know Mrs Watson hasn't baked any pies yet. I hope you didn't screw up by not buying one. Maybe she's baking them all today. What if she forgets to make one for us. I cannot believe you decided we'd be better off staying at home just the four of us. You _**know**_ I can't cook so you are going to _**have**_ to help me. I've been studying online though. You know my Grandmother used to put the turkey in the over overnight. When we lived in Texas I used to love waking up Thanksgiving morning to the smell of the turkey already cooking." Maxie whined as she steamed out a crème colored pantsuit that just came in from Chanel. The mayor's wife ordered it for her party this coming Saturday and she was meeting her at the boutique first thing Friday morning with the seamstress for the fitting. "Honestly, I really think we should skip Keegans tonight. Or maybe we could just order take out."

"Maxie, I want the fish bites. I love the fish bites." Cameron announced from behind the counter. Brittany had the night off so Cameron didn't have much to do.

They were planning to handle the new stock Friday morning while Maxie dealt with Mrs. Pickett. A rather difficult woman but someone who had spent thousands of dollars in the boutique since her daughter's wedding so they all put up with her with a smile on their face.

"Maxie we'll eat there....It won't take long. Besides, I'm really craving the She Crab Soup. I may not let you have your usual two bites at first." Jason smiled and grabbed Maxie from behind pulling her into his chest.

Cameron watched and just smiled thinking this was confirmation that he was right.. He had noticed that Jason had been doing things lately like holding Maxie's hand and hugging her a lot. Just like the way Juniors Daddy did with Hannah. He was old enough to know what that meant.

_Jason likes Maxie so they will get married like you're supposed to when a boy likes a girl._

_I am NEVER going to like a girl. EVER!_

_Except Maxie...and Hannah...and Mrs. Watson...and Vonnie...and Miss Sallywho's super nice and bakes cookies. Melanie's okay at school but not at aftercare when she was at home. Then she was bossy. Bossy Bessy, that's what Miss Sally called her when Matthew and Monte were making her crabby...Ling-Mei is okay but she's just a baby, even younger than Jake and Cookie is really fun but NOT Miss Payton-Wainwright cause she was mean to Maxie at the pizza place. Maxie said it was because she liked Jason and Jason didn't like her and Jason agreed. Well...nodded and grunted but for Jason that's like a yes._

_No wonder he doesn't like her when she's so mean to Maxie. Me and Jake don't like her for the same reason._

"What do you think Jake?" Maxie asked patting Cameron on the knee pulling the little boy from his thoughts.

"I don't care. Do I haveta come back with you guys Friday? I wanna stay home with Daddy. He said we were going to show the people the new town." Jake said as he pulled a new Swifter duster from the box and started dusting the shelf with all the shoes on it.

"What?" Maxie turned to look at Jason who was glaring at his youngest son. "Jason what is Jake talking about?"

"Uh...he's...he's just confused. I was planing to go into town to get a peephole for our front door. It's safer than looking out the side window." he let out a breath as if it were a sigh of relief that the lie he told actually sounded somewhat plausible.

But Maxie was too astute.

"Why would we need to have a peephole? Is there something going on? Have you had a phone call or seen someone that looks suspicious around the house? Because if you have, I think we should move. I don't really care if we are supposed to stay there for five years. The four of us can up and leave and I wouldn't care a bit as long as we're safe."

"Hey hey hey..." Jason said as he turned Maxie around in his arms and grasped her shoulders with both hands. "Nothing has happened, we're safe. Where is this coming from?"

Maxie buried her face in his chest and he kissed the top of her head while wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace.

_Yep _Cameron thought to himself watching Maxie and Jason _They're getting married._

"I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop." Maxie murmured.

"What?" Jason pulled her shoulders back so he could see her face. He crouched down to her eye level and finally she lifted her ocean blue eyes to his crystal ones. "What are you talking about Maxie?"

"I'm happy. I have everything I want." she looked around the boutique and smiled at a curious Cameron watching their every move and an oblivious Jake dusting the fake plant. "Right in this very room right now. You three and this boutique. I finally have it all. All my dreams are right here so they **have** to be ripped away from me. It's too good to be true."

"The other shoe." he breathed and then pulled at her to follow him into the back room away from the boys. Once behind the storeroom door he pulled her back into his arms.

"Maxie, I don't want you over-thinking this. When you do that you make stupid stupid decisions. Just lay back and let it happen for us. Just be happy. You deserve it. We're not in danger...and...and I'm here...I'll protect us."

He pushed her hair back out of her eyes. She had changed her hair style again and Jason was surprised when he picked her up at the salon today to see it curly and standing out in all different directions. She always had millions of different hair styles and he normally liked them but this one looked like she was fresh out of a bed. Big fat curls all wildly pointing this way and that. He was lucky the kids were in the back seat of the truck when she got in or he would have attacked her in the car right there.

And he had big plans for their first time.

Which he planned to be Sunday.

They would take Mac and Bobbie back to the airport mid afternoon and then they would drop the kids off with Vonnie. She said the kids could spend the night with her and she'd drop them off at daycare and school the next morning. That way Jason and Maxie could spend the morning in bed as well.

Jason had cleared it with his boss to have Monday off, another secret he was keeping from Maxie. He figured they could really spend their time getting to know each others pleasures and then maybe go take an early afternoon walk on the beach before picking up the kids. Then they would sit the boys down and explain to them that Daddy and Maxie were a couple now.

Oddly, that conversation made him just as nervous as the speech he had rehearsed for Mac. His only comfort was that Bobbie would be there for support and that the boys were too young to ask too many questions.

He had never EVER put so much thought and effort into having a relationship with a woman. Not even with Courtney whom he admitted he had to work the hardest at because of who she was related to, who he hurt being with her and how she felt about his job.

"Jason...I have really been thinking about this...us...and...I'm so scared."

"Scared of what?" he asked smoothing his hands down her arms to comfort her. She had on a powder blue long sleeved sweater over a pair of dark blue denim skinny jeans and brown leather boots with three inch heels that matched the brown leather jacket that Jason had bought her for her birthday.

"Scared of screwing this up. Of doing just what you are thinking...something stupid that I just can't stop myself at and ruining any chance of you trusting me. I'm scared of making promises I never ever keep, I'm scared of disappointing you and the boys...and myself by just being me."

"But you've grown up Maxie. I don't want to say you've changed but you have matured. You put me and the boys first all the time and just a year ago you only considered others if it benefit you."

"A year ago?" she smoothed her hand up his chest, loving the feel of his muscles ripple underneath.

She smiled realizing he was wearing the cornflower blue button down shirt she had bought for the store but decided it would look best on him. She had just sent the other sizes back yesterday. And he had on khaki dress pants and a pair of brown leather loafers she had bought him as well.

"Okay, more than a year ago but in the last two years...with me and the boys...you...you've become so important to us and you've really taken care of us."

"You're wearing the clothes I bought you." she smiled up at him and caught him off guard.

"Huh?" he looked down at her, his train of thought broken. And he wanted to tell her how much she meant to him...and the boys.

"Your clothes...I bought this for you two weeks ago and you grumbled that you would never wear it."

"Yeah and....?"

"You're wearing it."

He smiled big back at her huge twinkling smile. "I am"

"You went to your closet today after you got home from work and showered and went past all the jeans and those ratty motorcycle boots and black t-shirts and you pulled this out just to pick me up from the hair salon and come to the boutique to do inventory, unload boxes and go eat dinner."

She stepped in to him and wrapped her slender arms around his waist. He in turn dropped his hands from her arms and behind her pulling her flush with his body, loving the feel of her stomach pressing up against his groin. Quickly his hand moved up into her hair and he tugged her head back.

Slowly he lowered his head to hers and stared into her eyes waiting for her to finish closing the distance. And she didn't disappoint. She tipped up on her toes and let her lips lightly brush against his. Jason angled his head and took her lips and devoured her mouth with his. His tongue slid across her bottom lip silently seeking entrance and Maxie granted the request on a soft sigh molding into his body as her knees when slack and she felt him lift her slightly to him.

His tongue entered her mouth and twirled with hers as his one hand tangled through her hair and the other slipped to her behind squeezing it as he pressed it against him. Her arms came up around and clasped behind his neck pulling him down to her.

The kiss quickly spiraled out of control which is what happened every time they saw each other since the first kiss they shared last night. He couldn't sleep and went to Maxie's room at four am to pull her out of bed where Jake was still sleeping and into the living room. They laid on the couch and made out for an hour until, right on time, Jake woke up looking for Maxie.

Luckily they had never fixed the squeak in her door so they were forewarned that he was coming.

Then just before he left for work, she pulled him into the kitchen away from prying little eyes for a too quick round of tonsil diving. And he called her phone from the garage and told her to come out to the car where he kissed her again, soundly, on the hood of her Toyota.

He took a long lunch and went out to her boutique spending a half hour with her straddling him on his lap, kissing every inch of her from the neck up. Then when he got off work, he beat feet to the salon before her weekly facial, pedicure, manicure and hair style to sneak a few kisses before he went to shower and get the boys.

Then in the past two hours that they had been at the boutique, they would make excuses for the boys to go up to the loft which they were planning to turn into Maxie's open office to make room for a bigger mens section of the store. They would hide behind a display and steal quick kisses or find reasons, just like they had done this time, to go to the back room to make love to each other with their mouths.

Finally pulling away, Jason looked over the top of her head and ran his fingers through her hair. "Your hair looks beautiful like this. Sexy...it works with the leather and jeans. You look like you should be on the back of my bike."

"I'm not riding that thing." she smirked at the five month old argument.

Ever since he had it up and running, she refused to go riding with him. Even Denny had risked life and limb to take a ride on the back of Jason's bike but not Maxie. Jason could never get a clear explanation why, she just would say it's _his_ escape.

"Yeah I like this style and Alison showed me how to do it...it's so easy." She pulled from his arms and turned to the full length mirror and gave herself a once over. She wiped some lipstick that had smeared from their kiss and tousled her hair before Jason came up behind her and rested his head on her shoulder meeting her eyes with his in the mirror. "And if you really like it..."

"I really _really_ like it." He said sliding his arms around her again and leaning in to kiss her neck.

"You know...I make money at this boutique now right?"

"Yeah...you've been showing a profit for a few months now. You know I've been thinking, you should start paying yourself a salary as the manager of the shop. It would help with taxes to show your time as an expense. The amount we would pay in employer taxes on you would be minimal compared to the amount we'd save at the year end by putting you on the payroll."

"So I would have my own money."

"You already have your own money Maxie. The profits from the boutique and...well the credit card I gave you...you know you can do whatever you want with it."

He pulled back, not sure where this was going.

"Except change your wardrobe and redecorate the house."

"Um...I'm wearing new clothes and the house _could_ use a few style touches that would be nice." he conceded. He loved arguing with her and really loved telling her 'no' just to get that spunk in her to let loose but he honestly didn't care what she did to the house as long as she left his room and the garage alone. And honestly, he hoped by this time next month they would be sharing a room so that just left the garage.

"So I could afford to pay for my own stuff at the salon right?"

"Yeah but why..." he trailed off realizing what she was thinking. He watched her jaw set and knew she was contemplating whether she should bring up Spinelli or not since they were doing so well and getting so close. "Maxie...Spinelli hasn't been paying that bill since two months after we moved here."

"He hasn't? Who has?" She asked, confusion setting into her forehead and eyes as she looked up at him through the mirror again.

"I...I went to the salon back in March or April or whenever and gave them my credit card to charge."

"Why would you?"

He cut off her words, "Because you do so much for me and the boys. Because...because it's...it's my...responsibility to take care of _my_ family. Not Spinelli's."

His words literally made her melt into him and until Jake interrupted them, they spent the next few minutes doing what they had been enjoying every chance they got since yesterday.

Madly, passionately kissing each other.

~%~%~%~%~

To say Maxie was surprised to see Bobbie and especially Mac sitting in their usual booth was putting it mildly. She jumped for joy, accidentally knocking over another patron's beer as she leaped into Mac's arms to greet him.

Jason stood back smiling as he watched father and daughter hug each other. He was so amazed he pulled off the surprise. Keeping things from Maxie was like trying to keep things from Carly.

"Jason...it's so good to see you." Bobbie smiled and hugged Jason hard around the shoulders.

"You too Bobbie. I'm so glad you agreed to come spend Thanksgiving with us. I know you're going to miss spending it with your family. I really appreciate your being here instead." He hugged her back, lifting her off the ground.

He had missed any connection with Port Charles. He had so many questions about Carly and Morgan and Mike and Luke. And even the Quartermaines. He was also anxious to talk to someone who knew Maxie _Jones_ and Jason _Morgan_ and get an opinion about their growing feelings.

"And who are these two strangers? This cannot be Cameron and Jacob. There's no way! The last time I saw them they were little babies and these two here...well they _look_ like those two babies but you two are _big__** big**_ boys." Bobbie bent down to eye level with the boys.

Jake moved to hide behind his father's legs but Cameron recognized the red haired nurse. "Aunt Bobbie!" He jumped into her open arms and hugged her neck.

All the adults looked at each other and Jason cringed when he saw the worried look on Maxie's face. Everyone in the room at the PCPD wondered whether Cameron would remember Bobbie. It was one of the reasons the agents didn't think it would be a good idea having Bobbie as one of their three contacts. And sure enough, the little boy remembered her.

But he had done so well with the other made up stories they told to the people of Largo, Florida. Maybe they would be okay.

Maxie pulled herself from Mac's arms and with an uneasy glance at Jason she turned to Bobbie, "Mom, I'm so glad you are here. I cannot believe you and Jason pulled off this surprise."

She hugged Bobbie tightly. Although they had not seen eye to eye over the past couple of years before she, Jason and the boys left Port Charles, she was still the mother of BJ so that provided the two women with a special bond that would last a lifetime.

Picking up Maxie's prompt Bobbie pulled back from the hug and cupped Maxie's face in her hands. "Maxie, my dear sweet baby daughter, you look beautiful. Florida is treating you well I see."

Jason crouched down to Cameron and pulled Jake from behind him looking both boys in the eyes. "Cam, I know you call Bobbie Aunt Bobbie but she's to be called....um..."

"Nana" Mac interjected. "And I'm Mac. Nana's...boyfriend?"

He put an arm around Bobbie's shoulders and nodded his head in approval of his own lie.

Jason shook his head and stood up. This was insane. He hated lying and he hated that he was telling his boys lies. But worse than that, he hated that he was asking his boys to lie. It wasn't who he was and wasn't who he wanted his boys to be.

Maxie saw the look on Jason's face and took the hint. "Hey boys, lets go look at the fish tank and then go to the bathroom to wash our hands before dinner." She turned to her father and smiled, "Mac we'll be right back."

Once she and the boys left the three other adults took their seats. Jason ordered drinks for Maxie and the boys and then they discussed their new lies and how they would explain things if the boys accidentally said something.

Basically Jason didn't want to convince the boys to lie. What was just said in explanation was enough so they would just have to cover if the boys said anything to anyone from there. Bobbie said that they should explain that she had always told Cameron from birth that she was Aunt Bobbie because she was TOO young to be a Grandma. Mac agreed that the explanation was plausible. Mac would be a family friend who owned a moving company, since he had already been established as a mover by the neighbors and that he and Bobbie had been a couple for a few years. He had served with Bobbie's first husband in Vietnam. Elizabeth's father, not Maxie's.

By the time Maxie came back with the boys, Jason looked much more reassured about things so Maxie took that as a good sign. He would tell her what was discussed later when they were having their nightly talk on the patio.

Then that thought struck her hard. Mac, her Dad, was here. What did that mean for her and Jason's new relationship?

They ate dinner, chatting about this and that. The boys new friends and school. Jason's job and Maxie's boutique. They didn't talk much about Port Charles except in vague overtones. They didn't want to say much in front of the boys.

The booth was a circular booth and Jason missed sitting next to Maxie. She was next to Mac, of course, and Jake was next to her, as always. Bobbie was on the other side of Jake and Cam sat between him and Bobbie.

Throughout dinner, Jason and Maxie's eyes would meet and the corner of his mouth would turn up. He was nervous and would instantly look to see if Mac was watching them but just knowing that Maxie was probably thinking the same thing would send a warm sensation through his bloodstream.

He could not wait to find five minutes alone with her. His lips were itching to kiss her again.

When they got home, Jason showed Bobbie his room where she'd be staying and Maxie showed Mac to Jake's room. The boys went to take their baths like they were told so that they could watch _A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving_ and then _Atlantic Squarepantis. _Two shows the boys had been excited to watch all week.

Once they were settled, Maxie sat on a barstool at the breakfast counter next to Jason and watched as Mac prepared his famous stuffing and Bobbie prepped the bird and made pies. Jason's job was to peel potatoes and Maxie was grating cheese for the Macaroni and Cheese that Jason loved of Bobbie's.

Mac was oblivious to the longing glances between Jason and Maxie or the fact that Jason's chair had moved closer and closer to Maxie. Or when he would grab on to her hand for a brief moment while watching Mac's back for signs the older man would turn around.

Mac was finally done with his part of the dinner's preparations and so was Jason so they grabbed two beers and then headed out to the garage so Jason could show off his vintage motorcycle and they could check out Maxie's car which she had mentioned was making a new noise.

Maxie had moved on to picking through cranberries for the sauce and washing and snapping fresh greenbeans. Bobbie was slicing apples for the fresh Apple Pie while the pumpkin pie was baking.

"So...you and Jason huh?" Bobbie nudged Maxie with her shoulder.

"Are you going to put the turkey in the oven tonight? My grandmother used to do that and I loved the way it made the house smell in the morning." Maxie was avoiding Bobbie's comment but Bobbie didn't let up.

"Sure, we can put it in tonight before we go to bed and set it on two twenty five so it cooks slowly. The question is, which bed will Jason be sleeping in? He said Cameron's bottom bunk but it looked to me like maybe he wanted to sleep in yours. Am I seeing things or did you and Jason keep giving each other googly eyes at dinner and then barely resist touching each other on the other side of that counter a few minutes ago?"

Maxie stopped what she was doing, rinsed her hands and then turned off the water picking up a kitchen towel to dry her hands. "You...um...you weren't seeing things?"

Bobbie smiled and put down the paring knife and wiped her hands on her apron. "That's what I thought. Come on...let's hear it."

Maxie started to talk a few times but would quickly shut her mouth. Her eyes landed everywhere in the kitchen except on Bobbie and she fidgeted with the kitchen towel until Bobbie finally took it from her hands and tugged at her until Maxie finally looked into the older woman's eyes.

"I...we...he...it's new. It...we were at this wedding and..."

"Maxie, why are you so nervous? How new is this?"

"We've only kissed...and that just started last night."

"Oh so this is _really_ new." Bobbie moved the apples and the bowl over beside the kitchen sink and went back to work, motioning to Maxie to do the same. It was getting late and Thanksgiving dinner didn't prepare itself.

"Yes and no. We've...we've really grown close. Like...like a family. And...well...I don't know."

"You've grown to care about each other?" Bobbie offered to help Maxie try to explain.

"So much. I...I really love the boys and Jason is such a good father and..."

"But what about YOU Maxie...what about Jason and you. Forget the boys and forget Jason being their father...what about Jason for you?"

"He's perfect" she whispered as if she'd told the biggest secret of her life.

"I've known Jason for many many years Maxie and he's far from perfect. He's brooding and silent. He has a really bad temper at times and he doesn't put up with crazy schemes and foolish antics."

"And that would be me." Maxie sighed.

"Well yes but...listen Maxie, you remind me a lot of Carly when she was younger but she grew up and matured and I think...well from what I've seen tonight...you have too. What I was getting at was that Jason is far from perfect especially for someone as energetic and animated as you."

"We're polar opposites." she smiled half heartedly.

"Well yes but you know what they say...opposites attract." Bobbie laughed.

They continued talking while working in the kitchen. Maxie told her about the night of the wedding how they danced and how good it felt to be in his arms. She told her about Robbie and how Jason had saved her. She told her about their big fight and how Jason had never given up when Maxie was giving him the silent treatment.

Finally she turned to Bobbie seriously when Bobbie asked her the one question she had been asking herself for weeks, months even.

"Bobbie, I'm in love with Jason. Head over heels, one hundred percent, can't stop thinking about him, tingling sensations when he touches me, butterflies in the stomach, crazy, madly, deeply in love with him."

"Have you told him?"

"No! It's too soon. It would probably scare him off. He's the one that's taking things slowly. He doesn't want to rush into a relationship because...well it would be so complicated for the boys if we tried and it didn't work out."

"What if it did? I don't think you should ever hold back on love for fear of something that may or may not happen. You cannot plan to fail."

"That's just it...I don't want to fail. I just...I love him so much but how could he possibly love someone like me?"

"Well, you just have to let him...in his own time. Jason obviously cares a great deal for you. I could see it when he didn't know I was watching. He looks at you like you are the only person in the room. The big question is...where do you two go from here?"

"And what is Mac going to say about it?" she laughed placing the colander of cranberries aside to work on snapping the greenbeans.

Jason had walked in the door and heard Maxie's admission. He stood there a few moments, silently listening in on their conversation. Finally the mention of Mac brought him out of his haze. He made some noises and reopened and shut the door to the garage loudly pulling it closed and calling out to Maxie.

"Hey Maxie...your...Mac wanted to talk to you about your car." he said as he walked quickly into the kitchen.

Maxie smiled up at him and his breath halted in his chest. She loved him. Maxie was in love with him.

And if he were honest with himself, he was in love with her too.

"Here, take him a beer." Jason reached into the refrigerator and handed Maxie a beer, brushing hands with hers and relishing the soft skin on his rougher skin. The same tingling sensations he'd been feeling for weeks every time he touched her went through him again.

Maxie headed out to the garage and Jason moved to the living room and told the boys it was time to brush their teeth and get ready for bed. He'd be in there in a minute to read to them.

"Jason, do you think they would mind if _I_ read to them tonight? I really have missed them a lot."

"Um...sure I think they'd love that." Jason smiled at the older woman.

"And maybe you could figure out a way to get Maxie alone for five minutes." she winked.

_If only..._ He thought suddenly feeling like there were way too many people at his house.

~%~%~%~%~

That night Maxie and Jason met on the back patio for their usual meeting at the lounge chair. Mac had gone to sleep and about one am Jason pulled Jake off of him and tiptoed to Maxie's room praying the squeaking door would not wake Mac who'd been down for about an hour.

Jason couldn't sleep. He'd been thinking about what he overheard Maxie admit to Bobbie. Then what Bobbie had said after the boys were asleep and Maxie and Mac were on the back patio talking to Robin on Mac's cell phone.

She said that he should be very careful with Maxie's heart. That she had suffered so much already and that the heart she shared with BJ could only take so much damage. She made him promise that he would be understanding and remember that she was so much younger than him and was bound to make a lot of missteps with the relationship but that she could tell that Maxie really wanted to work hard at keeping the four of them a family.

Also that she saw Jason listening in and that he should let Maxie tell her in her own time. And that she knew Jason had a hard time with words but sometimes women needed to hear what the man is thinking to reassure them.

He held Maxie for about twenty minutes before he ever said a word. Maxie talked enough for the both of them and after his surprise, she had a lot to say and thank him for. Finally, realizing they were cutting it close. That Mac could wake up any time and catch them on the patio with her in his lap, he stopped her constant chatter with his lips.

They kissed for a few minutes and he pulled back and tipped her chin up to look straight into her eyes.

"I want to ask your father's permission to date you."

"What?"

"I want to do this the right way Maxie. You mean so much to me...I want the one person that really matters to you to give me his blessing to be with you...to lo...to live with you and..."

"Jason, Mac isn't the only one that matters to me...you...you and the boys...you are so important to me. Even if Mac said he didn't approve I would be with you."

"Still...I want him to know."

"When are you going to talk to him?" she sat up and looked out at the yard absently in thought. She could have sworn he was going to say he wanted Mac's blessing to 'love' her but then he stopped himself and said 'live' with her.

"Well...I was thinking...maybe I would wait to talk to him just before they leave for the airport...just in case he draws his gun on me or something. That way I won't have to hide too long."

She laughed, an infectious, belly rumbling laugh. She threw her head back and smiled widely. Jason smiled watching the joy on her face.

GOD he was falling in love with this woman more and more every day.

Bobbie watched from the sliding doors that lead to Jason's bedroom. The look on Jason's face told her everything she needed to know. There was no way she could tell him what she had intended to tel lhim now. No way she could possibly interrupt his happy life with the news that she knew he would want to know but then would want to see _**and handle **_for himself.

He had a beautiful new life here in Southwest Florida. Beautiful boys that were thriving and a budding romance that had the promise to be everything he could never find in Port Charles.

Maxie had everything he needed. She was a 'take charge' kind of person like Robin. She kept him on his toes always needing him to rescue her from her own self like Carly. She was comparable to Courtney because both women had lived a semi hard life and had to live with some of their poor decisions but refused to give up. They were judgmental and they were both bleached blonds which was not the norm for Jason. She was adventurous like Sam, which Jason thrived on and she was maternal and giving and loved to ramble on and on like Elizabeth.

Nope, the look on his face watching Maxie laugh told her that he was exactly where he needed to be...living the life he wanted to. She wasn't going to ruin that with talk of Port Charles, knowledge that they knew Claudia hired Jerry Jacks and Ian Devil to shoot Sonny but the police couldn't prove it. The assassination attempt which accidentally backfired and Michael was shot instead. She couldn't tell him that Claudia got out of jail on a technicality. She couldn't tell him that Carly was pregnant with a baby girl but was also suffering from a rare blood disorder and that if the pregnancy didn't kill her, the birth could. She couldn't tell him that four months ago Mike Corbin was killed by one of the Five Families that had moved in to try to take over parts of Port Charles that Johnny Zacharra, with his sister's help, had not yet taken over. They made it look like he had gotten killed over an old gambling debt but Bobbie knew Mike hadn't slipped since Sonny went to jail and Jason left town. He knew there was no one there to protect him anymore.

And she couldn't tell him that two months ago, Carly approved for Michael to have an experimental surgery and that now he was alive and awake and just as angry of a young man as Jason was when he woke up all those years ago.


	13. Chapter 12

A/N: I was going to go straight for the dirty dirty...but a great online friend of mine reminded me that I needed to have some closure for past loves. Never fear though...the dirty dirty is coming. And I am on a roll with writing this. It's not in this chapter but it's obvious at the end of this one that it will start the next one....Lucky 13 *wink wink...smut smut* And as soon as I post this, I'm going to write it....I'm in a smutty mood and my other story (Just a Matter of Time ~ Liason) is in no way in a position to have any kind of smut in the next chapter. SOOOOOO the next chapter could come as soon as later tonight...but don't hold me to that.

**Chapter 12**

"Maxie your place is beautiful. Georgie would be so proud that you named such a great boutique after her."

"Yeah, I really love it." She looked around the store at all the improvements she and Jason had made in the past month.

Once their fight, or rather her silent treatment, was over, they had talked about the changes she wanted to make to the boutique and then Jason worked any spare time he had making the improvements. It also afforded him to spend more time with Maxie which both of them enjoyed.

They put in a Latte and Espresso machine. They set up a little area near the window with comfortable couches and books and fashion magazines on half wall bookshelves. Above them were clay pots that one of Jason's co-workers wives made. They were original and interesting and Maxie decided to charge an arm and a leg and tout the woman as a local 'artist' that was going to be big one day. The rich women who shopped at her boutique ate the fabrication up and they were selling like hotcakes.

The office upstairs was almost finished. They were going to cut the store room in half and add on a small kids couture and increase the size of the mens couture area. The bulk of the store was still women's fashion but she wanted to increase her clientèle and children and men was the way to go. Sure, mostly women would shop there but they loved buying clothes for their kids and their husbands so having her boutique become the high end one stop shopping place made sense.

And more money.

"I wish Mac would have come." Maxie sighed.

"Well he wanted to go with Jason to see where he takes your car to be fixed. Honestly, I'm surprised Jason doesn't do it himself." Bobbie mentioned as she thumbed through a catalog of Donatella Versace's Spring pieces at the front counter.

"He doesn't touch my car other than to change the oil and wash it." she sighed and pressed her lips together then hesitantly looked up at Bobbie ready to confess. "I sort of...well I kind of told him I didn't want him touching my car."

"Why would you do that Maxie? You remember he used to own a garage. He's really good with cars and motorcycles and well...anything mechanical really."

"I was mad at him. I do stupid things when I'm mad. You of all people know that. You've watched me grow up."

"Yes that's true but...you _have _grown up Maxie. I could see it yesterday with the boys and dinner. You were really great."

"Your turkey was great Bobbie. And your pies and your sweet potato casserole and your macaroni and cheese and..."

"And your Dad's...err I mean Mac's stuffing."

"Yeah...the Scorpio Stuffing is the best. And he wrote down the recipe for me."

"Maxie can I ask you something?"

Maxie was watching the older woman who she used for alterations at her boutique measure the Mayor's wife's inseam. "Sure Bobbie, I mean Mom...you can ask me anything."

"You were really hard on yourself yesterday when you forgot to include Elizabeth in the blessing before Thanksgiving dinner. Why honey?"

Maxie looked over her shoulder at Bobbie and then fully turned around to face her. Bobbie was shocked to see the young woman's eyes gloss over and her lips start to tremble.

"Because I made a promise and I didn't' keep it."

Bobbie pulled at Maxie's hand and walked over to the couch facing the window and away from the customers. Maxie had decided the store would be open for a half a day today but closed the rest of the weekend since her Dad and Bobbie were in town. Besides, her store wasn't one to follow trend. Nothing was 'marked down' or on some crazy one day sale for the biggest shopping day of the year. Her customers shopped for co-workers and distant relatives on days like today and benefit from those chain store sales. Her store was for when they wanted to spoil themselves or their close family. But she did realize that some of her clients would be disappointed that she was closed. She made a sign and put it on the door that any customers could shop online in her virtual store and any purchases made on the online store would receive free alterations and a ten percent discount for the inconvenience.

"Maxie, what kind of promise did you make and to whom?"

"To Elizabeth."

"What?" Bobbie plopped down on the couch.

The shocked look on Bobbie's face in no way measured the shock that was sent through her body at the mention of the dead woman's name. She knew that Maxie and Elizabeth didn't like each other and she also knew that Elizabeth didn't know anything of Jason leaving town or especially Maxie going with him and the boys before she died. How could she have made a promise to Elizabeth?

"I...I...sometimes talk to her." she looked up at Bobbie and closed her eyes at her confession. Before Bobbie could reply Maxie took a deep breath and continued. "It started with me teaching the boys to say their prayers every night. They didn't understand religion too much and we were on the run so it wasn't like we could settle into a church congregation and Sunday school to teach them. So I told them about their Mommy being in Heaven with God and that they could just talk to her. It went on from there and I found myself talking to her as well."

She shifted uncomfortably on the couch and slipped her heel off and slid her tanned leg underneath her. She then spread the skirt over her knee and smoothed it. She bit her lip and slowly lifted her eyelids to face Bobbie's curious stare.

"Maxie, that sounds pretty wonderful if you ask me. I'm sure Jason appreciated you telling the boys to pray to God through their Mom."

"Jason doesn't know."

"Why not?"

"Bobbie, Jason had a really hard time getting over Elizabeth. No one knew this but since Jake's birth...well before that...she and Jason grew really really close and then apparently after the Black and White Ball they were dating exclusively up until her death. Except no one knew about it."

"They thought no one knew. Epiphany and I knew exactly what was going on. Jason Morgan hadn't spent so much time in General Hospital since he was in a coma for a month and waking up no longer Jason Quartermaine."

"Well, he had a hard time getting past her death. Honestly, he's probably not past it which scares the hell out of me. I mean how am I supposed to live up to the virtuous Elizabeth Webber. I mean she was a saint in life, at least according to everyone in Port Charles and now she's an angel in death. And I'm just me. Maxie the homewrecker."

"Well I think you are being way too hard on yourself. I think you've made mistakes in your life but everyone has Maxie. Even Elizabeth. And that still doesn't explain this promise you made."

"I promised Elizabeth...well Elizabeth's spirit that I would never let her boys forget her. Here it was their first traditional Thanksgiving and I forgot to mention her in our family blessing. It's probably why I ruined that beautiful new Dolce and Gabana white sweater right after it spilling gravy on it."

"Oh now you're stretching." Bobbie laughed.

"No seriously, anytime I've screwed up with the boys, Elizabeth gets me back somehow."

"Maxie what in the world are you talking about?" Bobbie inquired floored at the suggestion that Elizabeth's ghost was haunting Maxie.

"Okay well, I decided one morning that the kids could have chocolate cookies for breakfast instead of some fruit and cereal like Jason insists. I am walking out of the house ten minutes later and break a heel off my shoe. I had to change my entire outfit. Then..." she sat up straighter excited to finally be able to admit her ridiculous theories with someone who knew her AND Elizabeth. "the first few months I was with Jason and the boys, one of the boys peed or threw up on me every day."

"Couldn't that have been because Jake was not quite two years old and Cameron was four and you guys were traveling in a big Winnebago through the south American jungle? They probably had motion sickness." Bobbie reasoned.

"No, it was Elizabeth. I know it was." she looked at Bobbie's worried face and smirked. "You don't believe me. Listen, I don't think she's a ghost spooking me, I think it's just karma or something. She is watching over Jason and the boys and anytime I don't do right by them karma's fate steps in and punishes me for it. Like when I broke my arm. I had just admitted to myself how I was really feeling about Jason and had set out on the bike with Jake to get Jason's attention again. To pursue...well to see if we could fall in love or something."

"Yeah but Jake got hurt too. Elizabeth would have never hurt Jake...even as a ghost or karma or whatever."

"Oh but see that was a lesson for Jake as well. And I bet she did do it. She seemed like the type of mom that would tell them to do or not to do something and then just say 'I told you so' when they had to learn the hard way. We had been arguing with Jake for months about wearing his helmet and keeping the strap buckled and all. He took it off and I was headed toward Elizabeth's man, so she just had us learn a little lesson the hard way."

Bobbie listened and thought and listened some more as Maxie gave example after example. Finally she held her hand up and shook her head no, she could hear no more.

"Maxie, this is your subconscious. You feel guilty. You are getting the life that Elizabeth dreamed of. Life with Jason and Cam and Jake and away from all the danger where you can live your life free and happy. And you four are happy. You are projecting all of these instances into punishment from Elizabeth because you feel guilty for stealing her life but honey...you didn't steal her life. The Russian Mafia did. This is your life. And you deserve the happiness."

"But...I just want to know that Elizabeth is okay with this...everything. With me raising her boys and with me being with Jason. I doubt she ever would be so I try extra hard for her approval."

"Oh look, there's Mac and Jason and the boys. And the boys have a box in their hands with a big red bow on it."

Bobbie stood and faced the back of the store and when Maxie followed suit, she was surprised that Jason was standing right behind her, staring at her with an unreadable expression.

_Oh shit, did Jason just overhear what I just said about Elizabeth. _Maxie thought lifting her eyes to Jason's.

"Maxie, we have a surprise for you!!!" Jake ran with the box in his hand that he won the coin toss Mac did to see whether he or Cam would get to give the gift to her.

Pulling her eyes from Jason's she smiled. She could never stop a smile from dancing across her face when Jake or Cameron first came into the room she was in. Bobbie watched Jason as his smile lifted the corners of his mouth at seeing Maxie smile.

Boy he really had it bad.

"You do...well it's not my birthday and it's not Christmas..."

"Mac said that it's your birthday and Christmas...from him and Aunt...uh...Nana?" Cameron announced excitedly causing several patrons to smile at the little boy.

"Mom, I told you that would confuse him...you can't be his aunt just to feel younger." Maxie retorted and made an angry face at Bobbie then gave a quick wink.

Jason just shook his head and Jake mimicked his father because he didn't understand any of it either. And didn't care.

"Go ahead Maxie, open it." Mac said bringing up the rear of the group and smiling at his daughter.

Mac and Maxie had such wonderful talks over the past thirty six hours. She had really matured. He thanked Jason for it mostly. Even though Jason was a mobster, he knew Jason had so much good in him. So for him to leave the mob and the danger behind and take Maxie with him, he was relieved that Jason stuck it out and hadn't shipped the handful of a young woman back home to Mac with a note pined to her that said, 'I can't take her anymore. She's driving me and the boys nuts'

And Maxie was thriving. Even when she got the job at Couture, she was not as excited and filled with life long dreams as she was with the boutique. She had brought him here the day before, just the two of them so he could see what she had created. It was a private moment between father and daughter when she pulled up and he saw the sign, _Georgie's Boutique_. She had never told him what he named the store in their rare phone calls to each other.

The FBI frowned on their phone calls being anything more than rare and sporadic in case anyone was able to monitor the Commissioners phone.

"Okay...so this is really my birthday and Christmas present from you and...Mom?"

"Uh huh" he nodded his head and moved in close to her. They had to keep up their ruse but he wanted to be close to see the look on her face.

The box was square and the size of a double CD. She pulled at the box and picked at the edge of the paper with her fingernails finally freeing the corner. Then she tore at it. Lifting the box lid she gasped. Inside was a brand new set of keys to a new car. A Chevy. Mac's vehicle brand of choice.

Maxie got excited and leaped into Mac's arms first and then looked behind him. "Where is it?"

"Well, we have a loaner right now. We're test driving it but I figured we could go back to the dealership now and you could pick out the one you want. Color, interior, wheels and all. Or maybe you won't want the one I picked." Mac smiled as he set his little girl down on the ground after twirling her in his arms.

Many of the patrons were looking so Bobbie slid up to Mac and put her arm around his waist and he wrapped an arm over her shoulder and pulled her into his side while pulling Maxie in to the other side of him. Jason smiled at the scene. Maxie deserved to have this. A family.

And the boys needed grandparents. Even though the Watsons were great with the boys, Mac and Bobbie could really be their family too. To visit for birthdays and holidays. Maybe to meet on vacation in Hawaii or on a cruise or something. He wondered what they would think about that.

Jake pulled him from his thoughts as he tugged on his Dad's hand to follow the rest of them out back to the car. Mac had picked out the new 2011 Chevy Camaro Hardtop Convertible. Jason's only suggestion to him was that she loved the convertible feature of her Toyota. She loved to ride around town with the top down. The Florida Sunshine allowed for many days with the top down.

And the boys loved it too!!!

And admittedly, so did he.

When they were tinkering in the garage, Mac had noticed that the vehicle was in need of quite a bit of maintenance and suggested Maxie needed a new one. Jason said he'd buy her one but Mac insisted that he get to do it since he'd missed two birthdays and a Christmas with her. And was about to miss another one. Jason didn't care and knew it was Mac's way to make himself feel useful in his daughters life. Understandable and besides, Jason wasn't going to argue with Mac about anything over the weekend. He wanted the man to be in a pleasant mood when he told him of his and Maxie's new turn in their relationship.

"It's out back Maxie" Cameron excitedly pulled at Maxie's hand.

Everyone followed and again were treated to Maxie's high pitched shriek and again leaping into Mac's arms over the convertible parked at the back door's entrance.

"You like?" Mac asked again setting his daughter down.

"Oh I LIKE!!! Is this?...It IS!!! Jason...this is the car we were talking about...the new Camaro that Chevy is putting back onto the market. Oh my GOD I love this car! Did they have one in Metallic Aqua Marine Blue? That was the color right Jason? I wanted the Metallic Aqua Marine Blue right?"

"Yep" Jason nodded as he moseyed over beside her eying the car and shoving his hands in his jeans pockets so he didn't screw up and reach out for Maxie like his hands were begging his brain to do.

He didn't even get the chance for their nightly talk on the patio the night before because she and Mac stayed up into the wee hours of the morning talking all about Emma and Robin and Patrick and his new relationship with Bobbie.

It turned out that they really had been spending time together. Not dating per se but just really close friends. They could talk to each other about everything because each of them honestly knew most everything. Like what was going on with the trials and the new mob presence. Bobbie having Carly and the Corinthos family guards to hear it from and Mac being the police Commissioner. They also both knew where Jason and Maxie were and had that in common.

Mac didn't see a romance on the horizon but could definitely believe that they could be the best of friends and travel to visit Maxie, Jason and the boys more often together.

"Well let's go get it...cause this gunmetal grey looks good on the...the...what did you call it Jason? A workout car?"

"Muscle Car Maxie" Jason smiled.

She was really paying attention a few months ago when they were watching the television show about the new models of cars coming out that month. Jason had really liked the new Camaro and Maxie had said she would drive one. He hadn't thought about that conversation until today when Mac whispered at breakfast to Jason that he wanted to go look at new cars for Maxie. He knew that Mac was a Chevy man so he steered him directly toward the car Maxie would want.

Mac, of course, wanted to buy her a mini van or something bigger and safer but Jason knew Maxie would never go for that and convinced Mac that the safety features on the new Camaro were up to snuff.

"And they had one there but the interior was grey and not tan." Jason interjected.

When they had talked about their dream cars, Jason wanted the truck he had. He had bought it brand new off the showroom floor less than a year ago. And he had picked Maxie's car out as well. She loved the car but it was a four cylinder and she wanted something with more 'get up and go' as she put it.

"Well grey might be okay." she murmured looking up at Jason for approval.

Mac was completely oblivious but Bobbie was watching everything closely.

"Yeah, I think you'll like it. Besides it has that tech package and special twenty one inch tire and wheel upgrade. It has the special stereo and the video screen. The two front seats are fitted with the video screens in the head rests for the back seat passengers as well. Oh and it has that Bluetooth thing you liked."

"Ohhhh" she clapped excitedly bumping into Jason so he had to pull his hands from his pockets to steady her.

Their eyes met and they both felt the electricity shooting from his fingers onto the soft smooth skin of her upper arms. It took all of Jason's strength to keep from just giving in and pulling her to him. Mac be damned.

Maxie's eyes widened and she cleared her throat and stepped back. She stared down at her feet for a moment as if contemplating whether she needed a pedicure or not. And Jason was just as bad, closing his eyes and running his hand up and down his face. The distance they were forcing on each other was killing them both.

Bobbie decided to take pity on them. "Maxie, didn't you need to show Jason that...uh...that invoice that came in."

"Huh? Wha.." Maxie stammered looking at Bobbie in confusion.

Bobbie winked when she saw Mac turn to watch Cameron who was showing him how far he could jump. "You know, that invoice that you thought was priced wrong...you put it upstairs...._**remember**__?"_

Jason picked up the hint and smiled at Bobbie. She was really supportive of them when he talked to her about it. And now she was helping them to alleviate the tension between them so they could get through two more days with Mac before Jason told him. Although the more time went on, the more Jason felt that two days was too much hell to suffer for his own safety. Mac was an officer of the law. He wouldn't actually kill him. And Jason knew how to take a punch. He'd healed from much worse.

"Let's go Maxie and then we can go get your new car." Jason grabbed her by the arm and practically dragged her into the back door.

Bobbie looked at the boys and then at Mac. "Mac, why don't you take Maxie and the boys to pick out her car and leave me and Jason here. I kind of want to talk to him about a few things."

"Not about anything we agreed yesterday not to tell them right?"

"No not about that." Bobbie eyed the boy to see that they weren't paying attention. And they weren't.

Five minutes later Maxie came running out the door refreshed and excited to go get her new car. Jason nodded his agreement when Bobbie told him of her suggestion for the two of them to stay behind to close up the shop and meet them back at the house later. She nudged him with her shoulder as he watched Maxie drive away in the loaner model. His face becoming sullen and a bit sad when the car was no longer in sight.

"You've got it bad Jason."

"It's that obvious huh?"

They walked back into the boutique and talked on the couches for a while as customers moseyed about. He had to stop to ring up a few customers then finally when the store was empty he locked the door behind the last customer and switched the sign in the door to 'Closed'.

"Jason, you need to let Maxie know it's okay. That you're over Elizabeth."

"What?"

"She's scared. She's comparing herself to a ghost that she thinks she'll never measure up to. In your eyes or the boys."

"She's fine. She knows I've moved on."

"No...no I don't think she does." she moved toward the back door where Jason set the alarm and then locked the door behind them, climbing into Bobbie and Mac's rental car. "She's so hard on herself for every mistake she makes with the boys. She thinks that Elizabeth wouldn't approve of her...for the boys or for you."

"Elizabeth probably wouldn't. But Maxie's different than she was when Elizabeth was alive."

"I know that and you know that...and even Elizabeth up in Heaven knows that but Maxie...she's not so sure."

"What do you suggest?"

"Talk to her. Don't hide anything. Tell her that you'll always love Elizabeth but that you..."

"That I love her too. And that she's here and that I want her." Jason sighed scrubbing his face. "I really do Bobbie. And I am past Elizabeth. I've made my peace with her."

"You have?"

"Yeah, about two months ago I finally...I don't know...I guess I...I prayed to her that it was okay. That it was okay to move on and to be happy with Maxie."

"And is it?"

"When Maxie and Jake got hurt...my heart sunk. I haven't felt that way since the day of Elizabeth's funeral. I swore to myself that if I walked into that hospital and Maxie and Jake were okay, I'd give up my old dreams of me and Elizabeth and the boys and start working really hard for the new dreams. The ones I had for me and Maxie and the boys. So when I walked into that hospital and everything was okay, I came home and put the pictures of Elizabeth away. I put up new pictures. Ones of me and Maxie and the boys. New memories that we've made here."

"So you're good?"

"I'm good." He patted her hand on the center console. "I'm really really good. Maxie did that for me."

"Then tell her that."

~%~%~%~%~

The past four days had been the longest of Jason's life. He was standing in the living room facing Mac with his and Bobbie's suitcases at the door. Bobbie knew he wanted to talk to Mac alone so Bobbie told Maxie she wanted Maxie to give her a ride in her new car before they left.

Maxie didn't want to leave. She knew the conversation that was about to take place between Mac and Jason and she was worried. She didn't want to leave them. Either of them. But Jason reassured her that it would be okay and that he preferred she take the boys and go so that he could talk to her father, man to man.

Jason stared at Mac who had just asked him why Bobbie cleared the house. Jason took a deep breath and motioned for Mac to have a seat.

"I think I'll stand for this." Mac replied watching Jason nervously wring his hands together.

"Uh...okay. Do you want a beer?" Jason asked because he sure could use one himself but Mac shook his head no.

"What's going on Jason? Is it Maxie?"

"Um...yes."

"What's she done now?" Mac sighed.

"She's fallen in love with me and I'm in love with her."

Oh fuck he said it. And he blurted it out. Nothing like the way he had rehearsed in the mirror. He had eased into the topic when he'd gone over it in his head.

"You WHAT?" Mac took a step forward and Jason stood his ground. He wasn't going to back down to Mac. If he had to take a beating from him, he would.

"I love your daughter. Nothing's happened so far. We've just...well...kind of dated a few times but...I wanted to tell you. To...sort of get your permission."

"Permission for what Jason?" He took another intimidating step forward but Jason stayed rooted in place.

"I don't know really...I guess permission to date her...to be in love with her...to..."

"Marry her?" Mac took the final step standing eye to eye with Jason. The former Enforcer never scared and intimidated him like he'd known Jason had done to so many other men.

"What?...No...NO...we...we..."

"What? Maxie's good enough to date, to raise your kids, to sleep with but not good enough to marry?"

"NO...I didn't say that." He did take a step back. Not out of fear but out of shock. "I...we...we...me and Maxie...we haven't...we haven't slept together...and we've never EVER discussed marriage."

He thought about what Mac said and quickly added "But yeah...eventually...if things work out...I guess that would be...only natural."

"And what does Maxie think? You said she loves you. She's told you that?"

"No but she has told...someone." Jason closed his eyes then opened them looking directly into Mac's. "This is all new to Maxie and I. We're getting along much better. We...we do things together...**as a family**. And...we're good for each other."

"Oh yeah? How so?" Mac was not going to make this easy on Jason.

"She...she's so vibrant and outgoing. That's good because I'm not."

"Because you're twice her age maybe?"

"I'm NOT twice her age Mac. She's twelve years younger than me. And she's matured...A LOT...and I think that's because of me and the boys. And the boys...they love her and she loves them."

"She does. She really does love your boys Jason...that much is obvious."

"She's happy here Mac. She's happy with me and the boys. But I know how much your opinion really matters to her. And me too."

"I don't know why...my opinion never mattered before. Unless it mattered so that she could do the exact opposite of what I thought was best. And you...I don't know what to think. Jason I've always known that deep down you are a good guy but...you were a cold blooded killer. I wanted better for my niece when Robin was dating you and I want better for my daughter now. I still have bullet holes in my wall in the living room from when that guy shot you. Do you remember that? Or when Maxie's boyfriend was killed in the line of fire, a good guy, a police officer, killed in the line of duty protecting the public park from your enemies."

Jason knew this would come up. "But Mac...I've gotten free of that life. I haven't been arrested in over two years. I haven't shot my gun in over six months and that was when my friend Billy and I went down to the firing range to test out his new hunting rifle he had bought. Aside from a dangerous bicycle ride, no one in this house has been put into danger in the past two years. Well, except that one jackass that Maxie dated but I stepped in and protected her."

"Yeah she told me about that. Thanks."

"No thanks needed. I care about your daughter Mac. All I'm asking for is a chance. She's willing to give it to me but if you hate it...if you don't give her your blessing...it will be...tainted. She'll always think she's still disappointing her father and Maxie...Maxie Webster...the Maxie that lives here with me and the boys...doesn't want to live her life like that anymore."

Suddenly the door opened and Maxie stepped into the house closing the door behind her.

"Where's Bobbie and the boys?" Jason asked, tension rolling off of him in waves.

"Um...they are in the alley talking with the Watsons. Vonnie is visiting and Glenn stopped by with the new grandbaby. Well Vonnie's grandson. Denny and Dale's First Great Grandson. You should see him Jason...he looks just like Glenn." she looked up at her Dad and could tell she had walked in at a particularly tense moment. "Is...is everything okay in here?"

"Jason here tells me that you two are an item."

Suddenly Jason was weary of Mac's words. He hoped Mac didn't tell Maxie that he said he loved her. He wanted to tell her that on his own first.

"Uh...well...yes?" Maxie nodded her head slowly watching Jason for any signs. He gave none....just stood there waiting. "The other shoe." she whispered.

Jason let out the breath he'd been holding, anger rising up in him. "No Maxie, not the other shoe."

He turned to Mac. "Look, we want this...we want to be together...we already ARE together in so many ways. We live together. We share our lives. We share the boys. We want to share each other. Your opinion...your decision won't change that. But if you refuse to accept this...us" He motioned between him and Maxie as he moved to stand next to her and face her father with her. "We'll still be together. But you'll leave Maxie partially broken...Sad. She's waiting for something bad to happen but it's not going to. I won't let it. So the only thing that can happen that is bad is you not being okay with this. You telling her she's wrong...we're wrong to be together."

"But" Mac started but Maxie interrupted.

"Mac...he makes me happy." she wrapped her arms around Jason's waist and Jason eyed Mac as he slowly put his arm around her and trailed his hand slowly up and down her arm.

"And that is what you're supposed to want the most for your children. It's what I want for Cameron and Jake. I want them to be happy. Happy and healthy."

"Can I say something?" Mac interjected. Both nodded in agreement before him. "I want my daughter happy. Maxie your happiness is all I've ever wanted. And here, in this life, I can see that you are clearly happy. But what happens when Jason gets tired of you or you get tired of him? Where will that leave you? Jason what will happen when Maxie plans one of her crazy schemes with her friend Hannah or on her own or Maxie what will happen when Jason goes into one of his funks and takes off on his motorcycle for days...weeks at a time."

"I won't do that Mac." Jason and Maxie both said at the same time.

Mac rolled his eyes, "Right and I'm Santa Claus"

"Mac is Santa?" Cameron asked from the garage door.

Maxie rushed over to Cameron who looked like Christmas had just been ruined. "No no no...Mac was using a metaphor."

"What's a metleform?" Cameron looked up to Jason who had moved over and stood behind Maxie.

"A met-a-phor is when you use a word to compare a meaning to something. Like when I say 'I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.' I'm not really going to eat a horse. I'm just really REALLY hungry." Jason replied.

"But he didn't say he was hungry, he said he was Santa Claus."

"Cameron" Mac started but Maxie stood, hefted the six year old into her arms and gave her father a wide eyed tight lipped glare to SHUT UP! "Mac was joking. Like when your Daddy jokes that I'm a Princess."

"But you ARE a Princess...or something. Remember your Grandma was a Princess in Mexico."

"Okay...wait...Cameron...Mac didn't mean what he said. He's not really Santa Claus. Santa Claus is at the North Pole making toys with the Elves to deliver on Christmas Eve. And I call Maxie a Princess because she acts like a Princess around here." he looked over at Mac then at Maxie, "Which is cool with us right buddy?"

"So he said he's Santa like how Maxie calls you a Beast and a Nanderfalls?" Cameron asked reaching over and climbing into Jason's arms.

Just then Jake ran in and rushed to Maxie and she picked him up. "Neanderthal...not Nanderfalls Cameron."

Jake cringed in a way that looked just like his father did. The boy was the spitting image of Jason and Mac was taken aback by how everyone in Port Charles never noticed when it was so obvious now.

"What did you do _now _Daddy?" Jake shook his head in disappointment.

"What? Nothing." Jason gave Jake the same look back.

"Maxie called you a Nanderfalls...you better apologize." Jake admonished even going to far as to point and wag his finger at his father.

"No she didn't...I was making a metleforms. It means to call someone a name when they aren't really."

"Oh so your making me a metleform when you call me stupid? Cause I'm smart. Maxie told me I am."

"You are very smart Jacob Martin." Maxie assured him.

"It's not metleforms...It's met-a-phors and when you call your brother stupid it's not a metaphor...it's just mean and gets you in trouble." Jason sighed exasperated at how the conversation had turned.

"But Maxie does call you a Nanderfalls Daddy. All the time. Even when you aren't here."

"But he's not. It's a metleform. Cause Miss Vonnie showed me what a Nanderfall looks like and he looks like those guys on TV for the Geico commercial. You know the ones Jason calls Cage man's."

"Cavemen" Maxie and Jason interjected at the same time.

Mac watched the interaction of the four and saw how instinctively they moved to each other until they were standing in their living room with Jason and Maxie shoulder to shoulder and the boys on the opposite hips. It was picture perfect.

"Okay" Mac's voice cracked as he said it. He cleared his throat and said it again, louder "Okay"

"Okay what Mr Mac?" Jake asked looking around Cameron's hand where Cameron was playing the 'I'm not touching you game'.

"Okay, I agree. You guys are all perfect for each other. But if you hurt Maxie in any way Jason..." Mac shook his own finger in Jason's face and Cameron and Jake laughed.

"Daddy's in trouble" Jake finished for Mac.

"Exactly, your Daddy's in trouble." Maxie smiled up at Jason and he smiled back.

"Jason would never hurt Maxie. He's our hero, right Maxie?"

"Cameron...I wish you would stop repeating everything I say to you."

"Well that's what you said..." he suddenly looked confused and then leaned over to Maxie and whispered in her ear but loud enough so that everyone heard, including Bobbie, Denny, Dale and Vonnie who were standing behind them all in the dining room around the pool table. "Or was that a metleform too?"

The room erupted in laughter and true to form Jake laughed the loudest because Maxie was laughing. Cameron looked around bewildered at what was so funny.

"Nope, Jason is Maxie's hero Cameron. You're right." Vonnie chimed in and moved toward the family. "Now you need to give your Grandma Bobbie and Mac a hug and a kiss goodbye. There's a pizza at Chuckie Cheese waiting on us. Then we're going to go by the church to drop off food for the needy and then we're going to go back to my house to play Donkey Kong."

"YAY!!!" Both kids yelled in unison and then squirmed to get down and rushed to hug Bobbie and Mac and then grabbed up their back packs that Jason had packed earlier.

Maxie looked at Jason surprised but then smiled when he shrugged and gave a crooked grin that told her he had this planned the whole time. She watched the boys hug Bobbie and Mac for a second time after putting on their packs and then felt a tear roll down her face when the realization hit her that her father was leaving. Bobbie, whom she had confided so much in over the past few days, was leaving. Her father had given his blessing for Jason and Maxie to explore their feelings for each other. The boys were leaving because Jason had planned some alone time for them after everyone left.

She was so happy she felt like her heart was going to explode but then she was so sad that her Dad was leaving that her exploding heart felt like it was dying.

She smiled when she felt Jason's strong arms come around her and felt his lips on her temple. "It's okay Princess. They'll be back. ALL of them."

He reassured her and Mac felt the nudge from Bobbie and he looked up to watch Maxie visibly find peace in Jason's arms. He looked back at Bobbie and smiled. Then rolled his eyes and faked like he was gagging. Bobbie laughed and poked him again. She knew their conversation to the airport would be quite interesting.

Finally all the goodbyes were said and everyone was gone. Jason walked into the house behind a doleful Maxie. She had been crying for the past fifteen minutes. The Watsons went inside after saying goodbye to Maxie's 'mother' and her 'friend' and Maxie stood there holding on to Mac like he was a lifeline for five minutes before Bobbie stepped in and hugged her telling Mac that they really needed to go before they missed their planes.

Mac shook Jason's hand and again threatened him to take care of her and not to hurt her. Jason again promised that he would do everything within his power to make Maxie happy. Then Maxie hugged on to Jason crying uncontrollably while they watched Mac and Bobbie drive away.

"Do you want to go have dinner somewhere?"

"No"

"Do you want me to make you something to eat? Some leftovers maybe? A turkey and cranberry sauce sandwich like you like?"

"No"

"Maxie"

"No...I'll be okay."

"Look Princess...I can't stand to see you so sad."

"Well you're going to see me mad the next time you call me Princess."

"Okay" he laughed. "Maybe you would like to grab a beer and a wine cooler and go sit on the back patio in our chair?"

"Our chair" she smiled through her tears and looked up at him. "Yeah...that sounds really good."

"You know what else sounds good?" he smiled as he walked to her.

"What?"

"This." he leaned down, brushing her bangs away from her face and then swiping his thumb at a tear rolling down her cheek. He cupped the side of her face and leaned down brushing his lips against hers. "Mmmmm"

He leaned further into her, turning his head at an angle and prying her lips open with his tongue. His tongue swept through her mouth tasting her and he moaned his pleasure again. Maxie melted into him and he leaned down and lifted her into his arms behind her knees and her back. He continued the soul searching kiss while he blindly walked through the house toward the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator and nudged Maxie with his nose allowing them to take in large amounts of air while Maxie reached into the fridge for a wine cooler and a beer. He then went back to making love to her mouth as he pushed the door shut with his foot and walked to the sliding doors that led to the patio. He walked over to the lounge chair that they had laid in nearly every night for the past few weeks and settled her on his lap as he continued to kiss her.

She finally pulled away to catch her breath and stared into his brilliant blue eyes. Her breath caught at his words.

"I love you Maxie."


	14. Chapter 13 NC17

Rated NC17 for the DIRTY DIRTY!!!!!! YAY!!!! (I'm sure you're like me....FINAL FU'KING LY)

**Chapter 13**

The kiss quickly spiraled into a haze filled bliss. Jason rolled her over until she was flush on top of him. He cradled her hips between his thighs and ran his hands up under her sweater. Maxie cradled his head and pulled herself up further on his body until her center was flush with his stiffening groin.

Jason moaned his approval as he nipped and sucked at her bottom lip, enjoying the feel of her soft smooth skin under his fingertips. His hands searching out every inch of exposed skin to his touch.

Her skin sizzled everywhere his fingers touched and soon it wasn't enough. For either of them.

He rolled her over and moved to cradle his hips between her thighs pressing intently against her center. They kissed languidly while his hand traveled up the front of her shirt until he was cupping her small breasts through the satin of her bra.

Maxie's hands were underneath his t-shirt and roaming over his back feeling the ripple of his muscles against her palms.

"Oh God Maxie...I want you so much." he moaned into her mouth and she swiped her tongue across his upper lip.

"Tell me again." she pulled back and looked into his eyes.

"I want you." He smiled a sexy grin.

"NO NOT THAT!" she pulled her hand from underneath his shirt and whacked him on the shoulder.

"What then?" he smiled brighter, knowing what she wanted him to say but wanting to draw it out of her.

"Tell me you love me again." she insisted.

"I love you again." he mocked her and then nearly fell off the top of her at trying to miss being hit again.

"Jaaayyyysssooonnn" she singsonged in her high pitched voice.

"Okay okay just don't hit me again." He laughed and moved back to kiss her lips gently and then her nose. "I love you."

Then he kissed her forehead. "I love you Maxie."

Then he kissed her eye, causing it to close. "I'm in love with you Maxie."

Then the other closed eye. "I love you so much Maxie."

Then he moved back to her mouth. "Let me show you how much I love you."

He moved down the column of her throat nipping at her skin then soothing it with his tongue. His hand traveled behind her and he grabbed on to her ass and thrust his pelvis into her center causing a deep groan to gurgle from the back of her throat. His hand squeezed her tit and his finger and thumb pinched at her nipple until it was stone hard.

"Let me make love to you Maxie." he breathed as he moved down her throat to her chest.

He pushed up her breast so that he could lick the outside shell of the globe where her cleavage peaked over her low cut sweater.

"Yes" she hissed when he pinched her nipple and her ass cheek at the same time.

"Yes what?" He lifted his head and looked her in the eye.

"Make love to me."

"Then say it."

"Make love to me Jason. I want to feel you inside me."

"Oh God...I want to feel inside you." he growled.

He stood up, instantly missing the feel of her body pressed against his and the feel of her small breasts filling the palm of his hand and her firm tight butt in his other hand. He bent down and scooped her up into his arms and immediately latched onto her lips with his. In his haste to get her inside to his bed he knocked over their drinks on the side table and they both laughed as they heard the glass shatter on the stone patio.

"Are you in a hurry?" she asked innocently when he chuckled looking back over his shoulder but still swiftly moving to the door.

"If the Watsons and the Millers didn't have a birds eye view of our back patio, I would have taken you right there."

"So no more taking our time?"

"Oh I'm going to take my time. I'm going to spend the next twenty four hours taking my time taking you in every way possible."

"Twenty four hours?"

"The boys are spending the night with Vonnie and I have tomorrow off." He smiled as he turned so she could shut the sliding glass door to his bedroom and then turned and laid her down on the bed.

"So you did plan this." She breathed as she moved up the bed. Then her brows furrowed. "Wait...we can't do it here."

Jason, who had already started to move his mouth toward her breasts looked up with confusion marring his face. "Why not?"

"Because Bobbie slept on these sheets. I want clean sheets."

"I already did that."

"Really? When?"

"This morning once Bobbie had showered and dressed. She packed her suitcase and I changed the sheets and we talked."

"You did?"

"Yeah. She's happy for us."

"She is..." Maxie agreed nodding her head as she scooted back further on the bed. "Do you think my Dad is happy for us?"

Jason stopped in mid climb, moving to get over top of her in the middle of the bed. "Maxie, can we NOT talk about Mac right now?"

She giggled then pulled him down over her and kissed him passionately. "Tell me again."

"Oh jeez...I love you Maxie. I love you...I love you...I love you."

He kissed her between every declaration and then moved down her body and shoved up her sweater to expose her satin covered breasts. "Beautiful" He murmured as he took one of her ripe nipples into his mouth with the satin covering it. He blew hot air on the satin causing it to wet and then bit to feel her hardened nipple between his teeth.

Maxie attempted to pull his shirt up but their bodies being pressed together made it impossible. She groaned her displeasure and Jason moved quickly to lift himself up, roughly pull off his shirt and toss it to the floor. Maxie instantly reached up to touch his exposed pecs. He tugged her sweater and she lifted up enough to let him pull the offending garment over her head and it landed on top of his shirt on the floor.

"You are so so beautiful Maxie." he breathed as his eyes roamed over her body. He reached out with both hands and gave her breasts a squeeze before he moved to flick open the front clasp and push away the cups groaning when he saw the dusty pink hue surrounding her wine colored nipples. Her nipples were large and winking at him. The dusty pink surrounding them the size of a half dollar.

He instantly hardened to an uncomfortable stiffness and pulled one hand away to press on his groin to relieve some of the pressure. Maxie watched him and lifted her hands from her sides to reach for the snap of his blue jeans but he batted her hands away.

"There's no rush." He whispered as he lowered his head to taste her tits. As soon as his mouth hit the left one, his hand squeezed and manipulated the right one. "Oh my God...watermelon."

"It's my favorite body lotion." she said smiling as she cradled his head.

She was becoming so wet and she was now rubbing her jean clad clit up against his jean covered thigh. She could literally feel herself soaking through her thong panties and her jeans.

"But I can taste it...not just smell it."

"It's a flavored lotion." she moaned as she felt her coil tighten when he moved his knee up to press against her as she began rocking against his knee. "Oh Jason"

Jason moved to the other breast and reached down to her pants and unbuttoned and unzipped her jeans then shoved his hand into her panties searching out her center. "Where do you get...oh you are so wet."

His mouth immediately left her breast unattended and she let out a soft moan of displeasure at the absence of his mouth on her breast. His mouth and tongue lapped at her stomach causing it to quiver in response. As he moved down her with his mouth he used both hands to tug at her jeans and pull them over her hips then shove them down her legs. She then kicked them off leaving her in just her cotton candy colored thong panties.

He sat back and studied her body taking in all the curves and lines and baby fine hair standing on end. She was wet in places where his mouth had just been and had goosebumps in others in anticipation of where his mouth would go next.

He looked up and caught her eyes. She was watching him with a drug induced haze. And he was the drug.

"Are you sure about this Maxie?"

He had to ask. He had to hear it from her lips again that she wanted to make love to him.

"Jason is there really any doubt in your mind? I want you to make love to me but right now...I just want you to touch me. Somewhere. Anywhere. With your mouth and your hands. I want to feel you..."

Her words were cut off at a gasp when Jason bent down and bit into her just above her center below her belly button while one of his fingers traced her slit. He pulled the cotton material to the side and his mouth moved down to taste her.

"Oh Maxie"

With one quick pull he shredded her panties off of her and continued his assault on her sensitive lower body.

"Oh God" she cried, the unbridled manly power he was wielding over her was intoxicating.

"You taste so good." He murmured as he lapped at her center slowly entering her with one finger turning it up and crooking it to find her G spot. His tongue searched out the bundle of nerves between her folds and found it ripe and hardened ready for his tongue.

He twirled his tongue around her clit until she was panting and pushing at his head begging for more. A second finger entered her and he quickened the pace as his tongue delved into her and he alternated licking and sucking on the quivering bundle.

He feasted on her for five minutes taking his time learning what made her breath hitch and what made her moan his name from her lips.

"Come for me." He whispered as he blew on her clit and pushed a third finger into her crooking all of them for the spot that would make her howl.

He continued his assault until she exploded. Screaming his name and writhing beneath him. He lapped at her more until he could taste the sweet nectar coming out of her in waves as she continued to ride his fingers while drowning in the waves of ecstasy.

Quickly he stood up and with one hand undid his jeans and shoved them and his black boxers off of his body and quickly stepped out of them. The he toed at his socks to remove them while he lowered his mouth back to her again.

Maxie finally stopped moving beneath him and he pulled his fingers out instantly putting all three in his mouth to drink from them. Maxie laid there purring like a kitten, her body arched in pleasure and he smiled knowing he had made her feel that good.

He turned around to grab a condom from his top dresser drawer and when he turned back around he was taken aback to find Maxie up on the bed on her knees.

She licked her lips and smiled at him, wiggling an eyebrow. "MY TURN!" she announced and then pulled at his shoulders.

He went to turn his head but she grabbed his chin and turned it toward her. Licking all around his lips then thrusting her tongue into his mouth. "Mmmm we taste good together."

If he wasn't hard enough, that sent him over the edge. Just her words could have made him cum on the spot. Thank Heaven he had the where-with-all to jack off that morning so he didn't embarrass himself like a school boy having his first time with the experienced girl.

Maxie reached down and pumped him in her hand once, twisted her wrist like an expert and then pumped him again, running her fingernail over the head causing him to hiss in pleasure. Then her mouth traveled from his mouth down the column of his throat and toward a flat nipple.

She licked and sucked at the nipple until she felt it harden keeping up pace stroking him and alternately grabbing his balls in her hand and squeezing them then releasing them.

"OH GOD MAXIE" he stood there with his eyes closed feeling her do delicious things to his body.

He didn't have to teach her anything. She knew how to please a man.

Suddenly his eyes shot open when he felt her lips surround his cock. He fisted his hands in her hair, dropping the strip of condoms on the bed behind her.

She didn't waste any time. He was a well endowed man but she was practically swallowing him whole. Something he'd never experienced in his life. She fisted him stroking him hard with her hand while using her other hand to massage his balls as her pinky finger was driving him wild rubbing the short distance between his balls and his ass. She moaned her pleasure when he thrust into her. Something he couldn't stop himself from doing because she was making him come unglued.

Suddenly he felt his orgasm hit him and he tried to push her back but she resisted. He looked down at her and watched as she looked up at him and sucked hard on the tip twisting her wrist and pumping him.

He couldn't help it, he exploded in her mouth. She pulled him out nipping at him with her teeth while still stroking him to extend his orgasm.

"JESUS CHRIST MAXIE" He yelled as he watched her make a pearl necklace on her chest and then went back to sucking him some more.

Finally feeling the urge to be inside her was so strong he pulled her up by her arms. She kissed her way up his body.

"That was so fucking hot Jason."

"So hot is like saying your new car is kind of fast. It was fantastic Maxie" he responded as he grabbed her ass and lifted her up in his arms. He reached in the drawer and grabbed another strip of condoms and walked out of the room, naked, with her naked body clinging to him and kissing and sucking on his neck.

"Where are we going?" She asked pulling back and running her hands through her hair, turning her nose up when her fingers met with a large amount of cum.

She had just given him the best blow job of his life and he had covered her with his white hot ribbons. And seeing her with his cum all over her body and her face and in her hair made him instantly hard again.

"We're going to the shower. I'm not through with you yet."

She giggled and squeezed her legs around him. "YAY...Giddy'YUP cowboy. I wanna ride you like a water polo horse."

Jason smacked her ass and turned toward the hallway bathroom. "Ew NO...we cannot do IT in a shower tub with Jake's rubber duckie and Spongebob and Cameron's GI Joe men. The boys bathe in here Jason. Go to my bathroom."

"Okay" He laughed and turned back toward her room, squeezing her ass as she bucked against him and pretended to hit him with her imaginary riding crop saying "pssshhhhaw pssshhhhaw"

He got to her bathroom and set her down on her sink while he moved to turn on her shower. When he turned back around she had one of the condom packets in her teeth tearing it open. She then jumped down from the sink and sunk to her knees in front of him. He watched in awe as she took the condom and rolled it over the tip then put her mouth over the condom and used her lips to roll it down over him.

He groaned at the site then growled. He picked her up off her feet so fast that she yelped and he set her back down on the sink and without warning thrust deep into her, filling her to the brim with his hardened shaft.

"OH FUCK" she cried and he smiled as he lowered his lips to hers, satisfied that he felt tight in her channel. "Oh fuck Jason YES!!!!"

"You like that?"

"Oh OH...like...very...much...your...dick...is...so...big...OH"

He pistoned in and out of her. This was not what he envisioned but this was better. They had time later for making slow sweet love. Now it was about needs...desires...reckless abandon."

He lifted her legs higher and up over his shoulders. She leaned back and they laughed as all of her bottles and perfumes and lotions and hair supplies fell onto the tile floor.

"Oh shit" she said as her head banged into the mirror.

He pulled out of her and spun her around. "Hold onto the sink and wrap your legs around me." he instructed giving her no room to question his prompt.

"Hold on to me." she said as she lifted her legs off the floor and twisted them back so that she was gripping his calves with her feet.

"Maxie, I'm never going to let you go." He whispered into her ear as their eyes met in the mirror and he thrust back inside her.

Two matching grins spread across their faces and she used her legs to try to pull him further into her. There was something incredibly erotic about watching yourself and your lover making love in the mirror.

"Don't worry...I'm not going to drop you." he said as she gripped the counter until her knuckles were white.

"It's not that it's..." Suddenly he had more room to move and he looked to his right to see that she had let go of his leg and one foot was gripped on the knob to the bathroom door. Then he looked back at her in the mirror and watched as she held herself steady as the other leg left his leg and planted onto the small table that she had in the bathroom.

He didn't even have to hold on to her anymore so he used his free hands to manipulate her clit with his finger while roughly grabbing her tit with the other. Pinching her nipples between his fingers.

"Maxie" he growled as she started doing these semi quasi push ups thrusting herself onto him as he pistoned into her. "JESUS"

Maxie's arms started shaking after a few minutes of hard core motion between the two. Jason was dripping with sweat and they both looked at each other at the same time and nodded their heads. It was like no words were needed. They were reading the same play book and he pulled her body back to his chest while he continued his assault on her pussy. She dropped her legs and he turned them around so that he could sit on the closed toilet seat.

Once her feet touched the ground she started bouncing up and down on his cock, rubbing her own clit quickly working up another orgasm. He sat there taking her thrusts and matching them with his own. He pinched her nipples as she rode him. Kissing her back.

When Maxie felt her orgasm coming, she wanted him to cum with her so she reached down with her other hand and gently squeezed his sacs.

"Oh Maxie" Jason nearly cried as his orgasm welled up in him and he felt her walls clench around him in her own release. And she cried his name too as she went limp on top of him, her release overtaking her in spasms. He reached around her splaying one hand across her lower abdomen holding her to him and the other grabbing on to her hand that had reached up behind his neck.

She turned her head and they kissed, tongues dueling for power, heavy breathing making the kiss open mouthed and sloppy. Their fingers twined together around his neck then over her chest. Then she felt something she'd never felt before. He was slowly thrusting into her, his orgasm ending when he used his pinky finger to rub at her clit one more time. She felt the pin pricks start again. Not hard like before but more like an after-orgasm. She cried out but he swallowed her moans as he continued slowly pumping his semi hard cock inside her and manipulating her clit continuing her mini orgasm.

Finally when everything settled he laid his sweat slickened forehead between her shoulder blades and smiled when he heard her whisper.

"I am so head over heels in love with you too Jason Morgan."

~%~%~%~%~%~

There was something so right about her telling Jason Morgan that she was in love with him. It was like she was acknowledging all of him. And telling him she loved ALL of him. Not just Jason Johnson of Largo Florida.

No, she loved HIM.

He laid in her bed staring at her ceiling. You couldn't have punched the smile off of his face. He had her in his arms and was drawing the same little patterns on her back that she was currently drawing on his chest. Her head was tucked into his shoulder and her one leg was draped possessively over his torso.

He would make his dick jump and twitch and she would giggle when it brushed the back of her thigh tickling her.

When they were done with their mind blowing first time ever having sex, they showered together. He washed her hair, massaging her scalp with his strong fingers. He washed her body and then his own and finally wrapped her up in a towel and dried her off. Then himself. She was exhausted and he was proud as a peacock that he'd drained her of her energy.

He was also a little happy because if she had wanted to have sex again in the shower, he wasn't sure if he would have been _**up**_ to the challenge.

They had laid in her bed for twenty minutes. No sound except for their heartbeats and shallow breathing. At one point she thought he had fallen asleep but he started the tickle game with his cock and each time she giggled, it spurred him on.

"Maxie?"

"Hmmm?"

"What are you thinking?" He cringed knowing how chick-like that sounded.

"What are you thinking?" she asked hesitantly lifting her head up to look into his eyes.

He lifted his head and kissed the tip of her nose. "I asked you first."

"I was thinking that I hope mine and BJ's heart can take having you as a lover. You were incredible and something tells me that that was just a preview." she smiled and then lowered her mouth to his chest placing chaste kissed up his neck and then stretching to reach his lips.

She kissed him for a few moments never increasing the kiss from light pecks to his lips. He cupped her ass pulling her flush to his body and then smiled and started laughing from within. Trying to keep from laughing out loud.

"What's so funny? What were you thinking?" she asked lifting her head and locking gazes with him.

"That I could go for a turkey sandwich."

He smacked her ass hard then threw her off of him onto the other side of the bed then jumped up and ran toward the kitchen. Maxie was running behind him yelling what a Beast and a Neanderthal he was. Finally when they reached the kitchen he pulled her into his arms and devoured her mouth with his lips.

"I love you" he said between kisses.

"I love you too" she said pulling his head down to her and then climbing up his body to wrap her legs around his waist.

It was time for round three.


	15. Chapter 14

A/N: We're starting to wind down "Book 1" of this tale. As I stated before, I have planned a sequel. But this isn't over yet. You'll have another update this weekend. But for now...enjoy this little ditty.

**Chapter 14**

Slowly he moved inside her. Dawn was breaking and the candles had burned down to the metal tabs that held the wicks. A beautiful soft blue haze shone over her face and it softened her features even more. The stereo was playing a slow jazz tune and Jason's pace kept time with the music.

"Maxie, you feel so good." He whispered in her ear as he tenderly nipped at the lobe.

Her response was only to let out a contented sigh and squeeze tight her walls within her.

She had cum already since he pulled her into his bedroom from the back patio. About three am he took her out back and said he had a surprise for her. He had a portable boom box that he ran and got from the garage and played the music they danced to at the wedding that started their path to where they were now. He pulled her into his arms, him in low hanging sleep shorts that he haphazardly pulled on and her in his t-shirt and a fresh pair of boy shorts panties that were all pink lace. They slowly swayed to the music as she laid her head on his chest and he tilted his head to rest his cheek on top of her head.

Slowly the dancing led way to kissing and they were both ready for another round of lovemaking.

They'd been making up for lost time and abstinence for both of them. In the kitchen, he took her bent over the kitchen table and then true to his word, made himself a turkey sandwich. And one for her too. He ate his and half of hers then shoved the paper plates to the floor so she could ride him on their new couch. The floor got a turn and then she shower. Once again, needing to clean themselves up.

They'd made love on the pool table after that and then Jason pulled her out onto the patio to surprise her. Yet what surprised them both was that they still could not seem to get enough of each other. Every corner of the house except the boys rooms and the garage had been christened and now they were in Jason's bed.

They'd really explored each other in the past twelve hours so much so that the term 'making love' held new meaning for the both of them.

Jason was tender and loving and so attentive to Maxie's needs. Then he would become animalistic. He was rough and then gentle. He would spank her then place butterfly kisses along her neck. He would slam her into the wall or twist her into a pretzel to get deeper and then he would slow down and languidly move inside her with slow lazy thrusts, just to feel the friction between the two.

Maxie never imagined love like this. She never felt so special and loved and accepted for…everything.

At one point, on the couch actually, she tested him, trying to shock him and see if he'd pull back thinking her some kind of whore. She guided his throbbing cock to her ass and his eyes widened. But then to her surprise, he simply moved her hand, readied and stretched her with his fingers and then made love to her finally telling her he was so glad she trusted him to do _that_ to her.

And it was incredible. A whole different kind of orgasm.

She felt like she could do anything with him.

Sexually, she'd always been creative and adventurous. It was how she landed and tried to keep hold of the men she'd bedded. Never being able to keep them simply because she was…well…Maxie. She always had to entice them with dirty promises of sexual acts that most of the men's pure little angels would never do. Lucky, Johnny, Logan…even men that no one knew about. Somehow always married or in a committed relationship. Why she always picked taken men was a mystery to her but she figured it was just her destructive nature. Destroy someone else's lives and family and relationships while she destroyed her own.

But Jason was treating her with respect and love. She may have gotten a raised eyebrow or two but he went with all of it, even when she used the sash to her robe to tie his hands to one of her bedposts. Of course once he wanted free he just used his strength to tear the silk sash and nearly cause her to fall off the bed when his arms surrounding her scared the hell out of her. He caught her easily but that just spurred him on for more wild lovemaking, biting, spanking and different positions.

But now he was back to showing his softer side. Tender caresses, gentle, loving words. Soft, slow, beautiful. And she was lapping it up like a kitten with a fresh bowl of cream.

_Please don't let this end. _She thought as he reached his crescendo, holding stiff inside her while he convulsed with his orgasm.

He laid there atop of her for a few moments, catching his breath while he kissed her. His lips brushing her forehead, eyes, cheeks, ears, neck and then settling on her lips. She barely heard him tell her he loved her but she didn't need to hear it. He had showed her in more ways than one how true and genuine his feelings for her were.

After a few moments, he rolled over with a groan when he slipped out of her. He moved from the bed to the half bathroom off of his room to place the used condom in the waste basket. He used the same washcloth that was draped on his sink that he used after the pool table to clean himself up some then quietly tiptoed back into the bedroom and climbed under the covers with her.

He propped himself up on an elbow and head in hand stared at her as she lay with her eyes closed.

"I'm not asleep." She said to him, slowly peeking one eye, then the other open to see a grin spread across his face. "But I do NOT have enough energy for another round."

He laughed and dropped his fist from under his head to scoop her up in his arms. Peppering her with kisses as he did so. "It's cool. I'm going to have to go to the store anyway."

"Why?" she curled into his side, feeling the early morning chill across her naked back when she did.

"We're out of condoms….unless you have some." He said, his voice unsure of the question. He hated imagining she had some because he hated imagining her having sex with anyone else, suddenly territorial and possessive. He was the man and he took care of her, provided for them and as barbaric as it sounded, that included providing their condoms.

"No…I don't" she quickly lied. She saw his face change when he asked if she had any and was able to guess why it morphed and his voice took on the serious tone. He didn't _want_ her to have any condoms for whatever reason his male pride afforded.

So she lied and felt guilty but reasoned with herself that it was only a little white lie and that she only said it to make him happy. And when he left for the store, she would destroy, flush or whatever, the two condoms in her purse and then it would no longer be a lie.

But Jason saw _her_ face change and asked, "What aren't you telling me?"

"Nothing"

"Maxie"

"Nothing. I just was wondering why you looked like you would be pissed if I _did_ have any condoms."

"So you _do_ have some."

Jason pulled back and looked at her. He could tell she was lying. He knew when her eyes shifted that she wasn't telling him the truth. What he didn't know is why. Why would she start their relationship out lying to him?

He hated liars.

Suddenly his stomach clenched. "Why the fuck would you lie to me Maxie?" He growled and shook his head.

He jumped from the bed, grabbing the shorts he had been wearing before and pulling them on, sans boxers. He crossed the room quickly, opening a drawer and pulling out a shirt. He tugged it over his head miffed that in one fell swoop Maxie had just ruined their night, lied to him, reopened old trust issues he'd had with her and made him sick to his stomach realizing that he honestly believed that she had changed.

Maxie sat up in his bed, looking so small. The king size frame and the overstuffed down blanket and pillows surrounding her and swallowing her in the bed. She pulled the blanket to cover her naked body, eyes wildly looking around for a way out. Not so much out of the room but out of the situation.

Going with old instincts and patterns she argued, her voice high, shrill and loud. "I AM NOT LYING!"

"IT'S FUCKING CONDOMS MAXIE." He shouted back at her then drew in a breath while he drew back his hand to cup the back of his neck, trying to ease the tension that had suddenly appeared with his fingers. "WHY IN THE HELL WOULD YOU LIE TO ME ABOUT **FUCKING CONDOMS!"**

Tears sprang to her eyes and she scrambled to get out of the bed. She grabbed the oversized t-shirt, that she had been wearing of Jason's, and quickly pulled it over her head, forgetting about the underwear she'd left on his floor. Swiftly she yanked open the sliding glass door, choosing to go out back instead of running for her room where she wanted to go only because Jason was blocking the door that led to the house. She ran to the lounge chair that they always laid on and climbed on and curled into a tiny ball, her back to the house, and him.

Jason stood, watching her as the sun rose behind her. He stood at the door for what seemed like hours but truthfully was only probably fifteen minutes. His mind was racing. He struggled to control his anger toward her but struggled more trying to figure out why.

Why would she lie?

Why did he blow up at her?

Why was she laying on the lounge chair curled into a ball and shaking because she was cold when twenty minutes ago she was underneath him, warm and safe and loving him?

He ran though the scenario of the moment when it all fell to shit. _I said I needed to go to the store to get condoms. She asked me why…no…wait…I just said I needed to go to the store and she asked me why. I said we were out of condoms and then…and then I said unless she had some. _Again, he flinched at his own thoughts. Then suddenly, as if a light bulb had gone off, he slid open the door to the patio and turned behind him to grab his comforter.

Her head turned slightly hearing the door slide open but instead of facing him like an adult, she buried her face into her chest further. She had been freezing on the patio in the early fall morning for twenty minutes at least. She knew he was watching her because his reflection was bouncing off of the stainless steel grill. She had been watching his distorted figure stand at the door watching her while she froze to her death. All the while she became more enraged.

But not with him, with herself.

She was calling herself every name in the book. She should have never taken the leap with Jason if she was just going to revert to her old destructive ways. _Twelve hours…a new record Maxie._ She told herself.

But when he opened the door, she stiffened. What would he say to her? What if he had taken that time to realize he didn't want her? He was just lonely and wanted to know what sex was like with her while he relieved an urge. What if he was coming out to say they made a mistake?

"Maxie?"

"Don't say it" she defended, still unable to be adult and admit her mistake. She shouldn't have lied but the look on his face…she didn't think saying she didn't have condoms was a big deal.

But she should have known.

For an ex-mobster who used to kill people for a living, the guy was one of the most honest men she knew. Instead of lying he would simply close up and not say a word. She rolled her eyes thinking she should have taken a page from his book.

Suddenly she felt the comforter surround her body and though confused, she was grateful because her body was shaking and her teeth were chattering. Then she felt his fingers in her hair.

"You don't have to lie to me. Even if I give you reason to doubt I can handle the truth." He said softly.

He remembered saying similar words to Carly a lifetime ago when he thought he could make a go of it with her and Michael. Now, he'd learned that they would have never worked. In so many ways, he was a doormat for her to stomp all over. Sure, he called her on her games and in the end, she was one of the best, most trusted friends he had, but there could have never been a them because there was always a scheming, lying her.

And now here was Maxie, so much like Carly in so many ways. Yet different. So different in ways that were important to him. Carly was selfish, and so was Maxie, except where it came to those she loved the most. Then Carly was even more selfish and Maxie was the most giving of herself and raw and open. Carly made him crazy with her antics, Maxie amused him mostly. He liked the challenge that she afforded him, keeping him guessing and on his toes. And honestly, since they'd left Port Charles, it was an innocent crazy. Nothing that put him, his boys or her in danger.

Except for Robbie which he handled and he supposed she had to learn from, finally fully giving of herself, honestly and then being mistreated. Not so much a payback for the life she had led but more of an eye opener of what she never wanted again because she'd grown and matured and wanted more.

Then of course there was the girly stuff. The fashion and hair and nails and shopping and…well…everything that made Maxie…girly…was so much like Carly.

He didn't want to change her, he just wanted her to trust him enough to tell the truth. That was his sticking point. Now to convince her of it.

He wrapped the blanket around her balled up form and bent down and picked her up, straddling the lounge chair and laying back into it with her on top of him. "I don't give a shit about condoms Maxie. Whether you have some or not, I don't care and at this point, I don't even want to know. I just want you to know that even if you think I won't like what you have to say, I want you to always feel comfortable enough and to trust me enough to tell me the truth."

She was still curled up and stiff in his arms and as the moments ticked by without a word from her, he worried that she was thinking what a mistake she had made. He knew he hadn't read her wrong. He knew if he searched her room or her bathroom or her car or her purse he would find at least one condom and she would have known where he would be able to find it all along. It wouldn't be a surprise to her. But he'd blown up at her so quickly. He'd acted as if he'd caught her with another man or on drugs or beating the kids or something.

He held on to her, the blanket having surrounded her enough that there was no part of his skin touching hers. And he missed that warmth. But he still held on.

He reminded himself of what Bobbie had warned him about. She would make mistakes. She was young. She really wanted this…them…their family. She wanted to work hard but would falter many times along the way.

Smirking, he tightened his arms around her and whispered, "I love you Princess."

"OH THAT DID IT! I warned you." She sat straight up. Her hand came up to smack him and he easily caught it. "You are such an ass!"

"Oh I'M AN ASS?" He questioned.

"Yes, you are an assHOLE!"

"Well isn't that rich from someone who just stepped in it with both feet for no reason. _**Princess**_"

"DON'T CALL ME THAT."

"WHY….PRINCESS"

"NEANDERTHAL"

"SPOILED ROTTEN BRAT"

"BEAST"

"HARPY"

"JERK"

"I could hear your heckling taunts from the front of the house. It's only seven thirty in the morning. Seems a bit premature in the day for you two to be fighting already."

Jason and Maxie froze. Spinelli's voice cut through them like a switchblade to the gut. And he was close. He was probably standing just at the gate. Their eyes froze and held onto each other. She was on top of him. He had her by the waist. Her panty-less center was sliding against his stomach where she had rubbed enough in their playful fight to make the t-shirt he was wearing ride up and her slickened nether-lips were wetting the curly blond hair that trailed from his belly button to his genitals.

Neither said a word, they just stayed still as if not moving would somehow make them invisible or make him go away.

"I've tried all of the modern methods of contact. The Dastardly Demon of the Department, Agent Raynor, gave me a week off. It just came to me in memo yesterday afternoon so I deemed it necessary to spend my holiday with my two favorite…"

Jason's breathing came in shallow pants and Maxie visibly cringed when it was apparent that he'd spotted them.

"Maximista?"

She turned her head to face him, biting her bottom lip. Jason remained frozen.

"Maximista…surely there is some explanation for which I cannot fathom as to why you would be straddling the Master…in…what looks eerily like a t-shirt that would have been made to better fit Stonecold's much larger, muscular frame."

"Spinelli…" she started but then Jason lifted her and wrapped the blanket around her securely so that nothing but her head stuck out. Then he straightened to his five foot eleven height and partially blocked Maxie from view as he faced his former roommate clad in sleeping shorts a tank top and nothing else.

"Stonecold?" Spinelli's eyes were watering and confused and he looked at Jason as if Jason would soon explain that what he saw, he imagined and all would be right with his world again.

But when Jason's shoulders slumped and he gave his telltale sign by taking a lone digit and scratching at his eyebrow. A nervous habit Spinelli had learned years ago. When Jason was avoiding a conversation or thinking to try to come up with an answer that he didn't necessarily want to give or like the topic, he would scratch at his eyebrow.

Suddenly the twenty-six year old computer hacker turned government agent was enraged.

"Jason" He practically growled. "What did I just walk in on?"

"Spinelli…uh…why don't we go inside and talk and Maxie can uh…go…uh…"

"Get dressed?" He stepped quickly across the wet grass from the morning dew to come face to face with Jason on the patio. He looked around Jason, who stood still, and gained Maxie's notice. "Is that the problem Maxie? You need to get dressed?"

"Well yes but…"

Suddenly the sound a fist connecting caused Maxie to gasp. She watched as if in slow motion as Jason's head was thrown to the right and Spinelli's fist, balled tight, came past his head in an upward swing.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE YOUFIEND?" Spinelli stood, rocking back and forth on the ball of his heels, both hands up to block his face in fists.

"Spinelli, this is not about…"

"Shut up. There is no excuse for this abomination. Prepare to battle."

"Spinelli, I'm not going to fight you." Jason said as he rubbed at his jaw. The kid packed quite a wallop. "You don't understand…"

"Perhaps you should enlighten me." Spinelli continued to dance and Jason watched wondering if it was possible that the computer geek had taken time over the past year to take martial arts or boxing lessons because his punch was strong and landed perfectly.

"There's nothing going on." Maxie spouted behind him and Jason quickly turned and shot her a look of anger mixed with fear, disbelief mixed with disappointment. "I mean…we…we weren't fighting in a bad way…we were…playing?"

The last of her statement her voice raised in question. She had no idea what to say and honestly had not ever thought about what this new development in hers and Jason's relationship would do to Spinelli, whom she knew still harbored deep rooted feelings for her.

"The picture is becoming quite clear." Spinelli sidestepped Jason, and grabbed at the comforter and pulled it to the side enough to see that her legs were bare and then his eyes squinted in fury when he watched her tug at the shirt to cover her from his gaze. "This was a land speed record Maxie. Is Jason another in the long line of men who's heart shall be stomped on in your treacherous wake? Me then the neighbors offspring then Mr. September then Jason? And that, of course is only since you landed in this sleepy hollow."

"That's not what happened!" Maxie stomped. It was not lost on her that he called her by her real name. And Jason for that matter.

"So Jason assaulted you? Forced you to his lair and had his dastardly way with you?" Spinelli feigned to believe this and turned to Jason. "You are a scoundrel, sir, undeserving of the reflection of the Fair Maximista's glow. And you have made a mockery of our friendship and brotherhood."

"Spinelli" Jason finally spoke up again. He had no idea what to say or whether it should be him or Maxie or both of them to talk to him about their new romance.

"I see words escape you. Mayhaps you should leave, attempt to reclaim the title of gentleman and leave us to speak. For it seems the Bad Blond One and I have much to discuss."

~%~%~%~%~%~%~

Maxie took a deep breath and walked out of her bedroom an hour later. When Spinelli suggested Jason leave so he could talk with 'the bad blond one' Jason became intense, possessive, angry at Spinelli for intentionally saying things to hurt Maxie. He turned around and looked at Maxie, pulling the blanket closed again around her then turned her toward the door. He instructed her to go inside, take a shower, get dressed and be ready to go out to breakfast. When Spinelli protested, Jason turned on him quickly yelling at him to 'shut up'. He then nodded at Maxie who was scared and her face showed it and winked at her and gave a barely perceptible nod that everything would be okay.

When she entered the living room, Jason wasn't there. Spinelli was sitting in the glider and looking out the window. She looked toward Jason's bedroom and the door was closed and she had a sudden desire to retreat back to her bedroom until he could be heard.

"You don't have to leave." Spinelli announced.

"What? I…no…I just forgot my…my…PDA. You know I cannot go anywhere without my PDA."

"Your PDA is on the counter in the kitchen. And you set it to silent which is why you never received my call."

His voice was so sullen but his words and manner of speech was so…unSpinelli-like that it sent a shutter of nausea through her.

"Oh" was all she allowed to leave her lips.

"When did you know?" He asked turning the glider to face her fully.

She moved over to the couch and sat down, placing her elbows on her knees. She fiddled with the half dozen sterling silver bangle bracelets she put on with her dark blue wrap around blouse and dark gray corduroy low waisted boot cut pants. The bangles matched her silver snakeskin heels and matching clutch perfectly.

"When did you know?" He asked again sitting up and mimicking her seated position.

"It just happened." She breathed, her shoulders slumping and her physical appearance a sign of remorse.

"So just today? Or last night? Or was it last week or last month or last year? Tell me, were you setting your sights on him when you were still sleeping with me?"

"Didn't Jason talk to you?" Maxie asked looking up at Spinelli but then quickly looking away when she saw the anger in his green eyes.

"Yes but I want to hear it from you. Hear what sort of lies you'll come up with."

"Oh because I'm always a liar right?"

She couldn't help it, she took offense. He would have never caught them had she not lied to Jason. So for him to rub it in her face when just two hours ago she stood to lose Jason because of her carelessness where it comes to lying, just pissed her off.

"You must admit it seems to be your MO."

"Well I'm not lying about this. We didn't expect it nor did we plan it…its just…we've been together for two years now."

"WHAT?"

"No…not together together…that really did just happen…like…last night just happen. I meant that…well its just been me and Jason…and the boys of course but just me and Jason for two years and…"

"He's your essential person."

"You are too" she protested but even to her it sounded weak.

"No…no I'm not. You told me and I've known it for quite some time. Actually, I was coming this week not only to spend time with my best friend, my mentor and the two greatest kids that ever lived but also to talk to you and Jason. To confess a romantic interlude of my own. And to test the 'distance makes the heart grows fonder' theory for…"

"Spinelli are you telling me you have a girlfriend?"

"Uh…yes."

"Who is she? She better not be that horrid Winnifred." Maxie suddenly became his best friend again, his selfish, needy, demanding, whiny, wonderful best friend who only saw Spinelli as good and anyone near him as bad. The girl that he'd love for the rest of his life but had known for some time that she would never be his for the taking.

Now the tribulation is whether he and Jason's friendship would survive.

~%~%~%~%~%~

Jason was stewing in his bedroom. He wasn't even remorseful anymore. Oh he had been. He'd felt horrible for the fact that Spinelli found out about his and Maxie's relationship in an abrupt manner. He felt bad for his longtime friend and confidante that he hadn't treated him as a man and spoken to him about the situation previously. He should have been a man and spoken to him back in late September after the wedding. If he had he would have saved himself a lot of headache and time apart from the woman who had wormed her way into his life and his thoughts and mostly, his heart.

But after talking to Spinelli for twenty minutes, he realized that Spinelli was fine with Maxie's moving on. Just not with him.

He went so far as to say that though he held Jason in 'the highest esteem' he would never be good enough for Maxie. He was too old, too brooding, too hard on people. And those were the good points. He was a killer, his temper was explosive in the right situations and he was not forgiving. Then likening all of his wonderful qualities to life with Maxie, the younger man nearly had Jason believing them himself.

Until Spinelli slipped up and reminded him that he too had slept with Maxie and that a wild and free spirit like Maxie would be stifled and caged by him and the boys. That trapping her into his world would stop her from realizing all of her fantasies and dreams. Dreams that she would be able to pursue sooner than three years because the WSB agent, Maxie's biological father, was inside the Russian Mafia's innermost circle now and had reported that he had manufactured proof that Maxie was killed in a fire at the hospital in late March and nothing had been mentioned from the Russians with regard to her since.

So she was very close to being free to go although she wouldn't be able to return to Port Charles, she was no longer in the danger she was so she could go anywhere in the world and live her life how she wanted to.

And looking through the vertical blinds of the sliding glass doors he could see past the pool table and see Maxie and Spinelli talking. He was probably telling her now.

And if she wanted to leave, he'd never honestly hold her back no matter what he told himself about how he had changed too and would fight for her. He'd already done that. He'd already put his heart out there and let her stomp on it a while so she could get past being mad at him and then he kept pushing until she opened her eyes to him standing before her.

And finally last night it came out. All the love they had for each other came out in words and actions and emotion. But less than twelve hours into it, they fought. Over something stupid.

But they made up.

But now she was being told there was no more danger.

What if that was truly what kept her here. Because she thought she had to stay another three years.

Three years from now he would feel more secure. Three years from now, she would have a harder time walking away from him and the boys. Three years from now they would have been established as a couple.

He needed those three years.

Suddenly there was a knock at his door. He turned and realized he had been lost in thought and Maxie was no longer sitting in the living room on the couch.

"Come in" he noticed his voice cracked.

"Hey"

"Hey"

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, you?"

She noticed he kept his gaze fixed on the glass door that led to the outside. He hadn't looked at her once.

"Spinelli told me about Frisco and the Russians."

He let out the breath he'd been holding. He closed his eyes and lowered his chin to his chest. He wanted to say so many things...

There's still danger...but that was a lie. At least as far as he knew and he'd never been led astray from Spinelli's information. He knew Spinelli would never say Maxie was safe to leave his protection if there was even a one percent chance there was danger lurking.

He could tell her that she couldn't leave now because of something with the boutique. Some law that didn't allow change of ownership within the first two years....but that was a horrible lie and he'd just argued with her about how they didn't need lies between them.

He could use the boys...she loved the boys. He could tell her that they would be heartbroken if she left and after losing their mother almost two years ago, it would set them back to a place they may not be able to recover from without her. But he'd never use his boys like that and he'd never manipulate her because she loved them.

He could just drop to his knees, swallow his pride and beg her not to go.

"I brought you something."

He opened his eyes and they instantly fell on the two red packages in front of him.

Condoms.

He pulled her into his arms and held her tight as his crystal blue eyes finally let the tears he had been holding at bay fall.

She wasn't leaving.

Admitting she had lied was his proof.

She was here to stay.


	16. Chapter 15

A/N: Another chapter so soon. RTN is down for the weekend so I'm focusing on this fic since I can't very well post a Jaxie fic on a Liason website anyway LOL. And it's going to rain here in sunny Florida all weekend so you will probably get another chapter this weekend as well. Oh and the end of this chapter has the best AWWWW moment (if I do say so myself). PS: Anyone who has read any of my other fics knows that I have two dogs, Precious and Popeye, who are in nearly every story I write. And guess what....they show up here too. Enjoy.

**Chapter 15**

Maxie cringed as soon as the words came out of her mouth. She turned to Jason and as expected, his one eyebrow was raised awaiting the truth. The guy was so annoying.

"That's not true. Brittany didn't do it. It was me. But I have an excuse."

Suddenly his big strong arms surrounded her and she was pulled down into the chair on his lap. His lips moving to capture hers.

"See, wasn't that easy." he murmured in her ear.

For the past three weeks, every time it was Maxie's instinct to lie, she would usually blurt it out but within five minutes Jason would receive the truth. And an apology. And a promise to try harder.

"So what's the excuse."

"You and the boys walked in the door. Remember, last week when you came in with this bouquet of flowers?" she thumbed the flowers on her desk in the newly finished loft.

"Oh...so I distracted you and caused you to accidentally ring up a three hundred dollar blouse for three millions dollars." he laughed at her. It wasn't a huge mistake. Just a very noticeable one when doing the books. Especially since she didn't back out the charge on the computer register, she just cleared it and started over.

"That's my story and I'm sticking to it." she announced and turned in his lap crossing her arms across her chest in defiance.

She pouted for a few minutes and Jason waited her out. Patient and quiet. Like he always did but then finally she sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm really trying."

"I know." He replied. "And you're doing better. I'm not trying to change you but I don't want either of the boys growing up learning it's okay to tell lies. And you know how I feel about it."

"I don't lie to the boys. Except the other day when Jake asked me if Daddy was spanking me."

"Well I was spanking you. You had been a very, very naughty girl." He wiggled his eyebrow at her. "Besides, you asked me to."

"So you want me to tell Jake the truth?"

"Hmmm...no that's probably not a good idea."

"See"

"But that's different."

"You always know if I lie anyway."

"So why do it?"

"I can't help it. Twenty five years of doing something doesn't change overnight."

"Then it's good that I'm patient and I love you."

"Very good." she pulled him into her and pressed her lips against his deepening the kiss as his hands started to roam up her thighs to her waist then her breasts.

She moaned as he pinched her nipples, rolling them between his fingers while his tongue twirled with hers.

They had christened her office on several occasions since they started having sex. It seemed going all day without seeing each other strained them too much. They needed a release and only the other could give it to them. Luckily they had made changes to the boutique that tended to keep the boys in the store room more.

The first day Spinelli was there, it was awkward to say the least. Jason was not happy with Spin, Spin was not happy with Jason and Maxie was walking on eggshells between the two of them. By mid afternoon, Maxie came up with a plan that would hopefully get the two friends seeing eye to eye again. Besides, it wasn't like Spinelli was going to stop her and Jason from being together. So now the two men had to work through this rough patch and get back to where they were.

Master and Grasshopper.

And what better way than to have Spinelli working on one of her projects with Jason.

So Maxie suggested after breakfast that first morning that he upgrade the computer registers and server at work while Jason finished the renovations to the boutique. Spinelli tweaked the online site and Jason helped Spinelli wire the loft office while finishing up the final touches of the boutiques renovations. They both agreed and soon were talking with each other about what supplies they needed to get and what local store was best to buy the new computer equipment.

When Maxie finally showed up with the boys that afternoon, she had new flat screen TV's on the walls, which were a surprise idea from her two favorite men. All four screens were currently showing _The Fashionista Diaries_ from 2008. It was Maxie's favorite show, Spinelli remembered, and she had made him watch every episode with her so he downloaded it.

Spinelli tied the televisions in with the server so that Maxie could run a continuous slide of her Virtual store, and set her up so she could add more product that she didn't physically have at the boutique. She could show music videos, regular television programs and movies. She could do her advertising by flashing pictures of already happy customers wearing items purchased out and about at high society parties and weddings and such. There were any number of possibilities and when he and Jason were standing in the electronics store and staring at the football game on forty different television sets, they both looked at each other as if they shared the epiphany.

Guys wouldn't mind bringing their wives or girlfriends shopping as long as one sports game was on one television somewhere in the boutique.

So Jason hung four sixty inch flatscreens in the main room, smaller nineteen inch screens were in each dressing room, mens and womens, and hung high enough so that each person in their stall could see it. Then a twenty-seven inch screen was hung in the storeroom and in the loft office.

Jason and the boys had been spending a lot more time at the boutique in the afternoons so he installed them so he could watch the news and the boys could watch whatever they wanted to in the storeroom.

Then when she went upstairs, the pictures she had framed were hung on the wall and the new office furniture she wanted was installed and set exactly where she told Jason she was going to put it. Along with a huge leather couch. Oddly, a leather couch that looked eerily like his old ratty one. But it was new and it matched her furniture and she supposed, after he showed her his intentions with the well placed couch, it was a perfect addition to her new office.

For the four days that Spinelli was there, he went to work with Maxie every day and slowly they worked their way back to the comfortable friendship she had shared with him for years. Minus the sex, of course.

And Jason and Spinelli had worked out their issues as well. But Spinelli still held on to the premise that Jason and Maxie would probably not work. And Jason being Jason didn't argue with him. To Jason actions spoke louder than words and he would simply prove that he and Maxie could make a go of things.

Spinelli stayed in Jason's room and Jason happily moved into the master bedroom with Maxie. Once Spinelli left, he simply didn't move back into his room. It was never really discussed between he and Maxie but he noticed that after a week, Maxie had moved things in her room and bathroom to accommodate _his_ books and _his _toiletries and _his_ few other items. However, she didn't budge an inch in her closet or her dresser drawers and knowing Maxie, he supposed she never would.

They didn't have the talk with the boys until the day Spinelli left. It was Thursday and they held their traditional work day for the entire family at the boutique and then dinner at Keegans. As expected, the boys asked a few questions but didn't seem to understand what the difference was from how their family dynamics already had existed for the past two years.

But when Jason kissed Maxie right in front of the boys after she fed him spoonfuls of the She Crab soup, Jake groaned with a loud 'EWWWWWW' and then as they walked out of the restaurant and back around the block to the boutique to their cars, Cameron asked when they were going to get married which had Jason choking. And then because his choking was so exaggerated and wouldn't stop, Maxie hit him on the back. HARD!

The whole extended Watson family was very happy about their new romance and Denny admitted she had an elaborate scheme planned since the fateful wedding but that their month long argument and then their seemingly working things through on their own caused her plans to no longer be needed.

Jason and Maxie both asked what this elaborate scheme was but Dale interjected stating they _DIDN'T_ want to know so the two lovebirds just laughed it off.

"You know what today is don't you?" Jason asked Maxie as she moved to straddle his waist. Quickies in the loft were becoming a regular occurrence with them nowadays.

"Sure it's one month since you first kissed me." she smiled, leaning in for another kiss. "So it's our anniversary."

Confusion marred Jason's face and he tried to hide his sudden realization that he was with one of _those_ women that makes an anniversary out of every little relationship milestone and would expect him to remember these ridiculous dates for the rest of their lives.

"Ooookaaayyyyy" he drawled. "I think you may be a day or two off though."

"No I'm NOT! It was Tuesday before Thanksgiving." She pulled the desk calendar over and pointed at the date. "The twenty third and today is December twenty third. One month anniversary of our first kiss."

"Okay but don't expect me to remember this ridiculous anniversary." He laughed.

"What do you mean ridiculous you Neanderthal?" she batted him on the chest and then they both turned their heads when Jake cleared his throat from the stairs. A habit he'd learned from his father.

"What Jake?" Jason groaned knowing that the panties Maxie was wearing under her skirt would no longer be pushed to the side and the condom in his wallet would remain in its place...for now.

"Daddy did you apologize yet?"

"For WHAT?" That kid was starting to get on his nerves. Every time Maxie called him a name or was unhappy it was _HIS _fault and Jake insisted that he apologize to her.

"Daddy..." the three and a half year old groaned "She called you a nanderfalls. You **DID** something."

"Yes he did Jake. He forgot a very important anniversary." Maxie said sliding off of Jason's lap and holding her hand out for Jake to take.

Jason turned in the leather desk chair that matched the couch and the other two stationary chairs in the room. He watched as Jake's face marred in confusion much like his father's had a few moments ago. His son was amazingly just like him.

"What's a annie...annie..."

"Anniversary." Maxie helped Jake. Then she sat on the sofa and Jake crawled up on her. "It's...it's like your birthday Jake. Every year we celebrate your birthday. The **anniversary** of the day you were born."

"And Daddy forgot your birthday?" he looked at her wide eyed. His sparkling crystal blue eyes staring up at her.

"No, not my birthday. Remember we had my birthday when you were a Transformer for Halloween."

"Oh yeah...I wanna wear that to school. I know Ling-Mei would think it's SOOOO COOL." he turned to his father. "She didn't get to see it cause YOU didn't want to go Trick or Treating in her neighborhood."

Sighing Jason stood and moved to the couch. "Jake it was late and you and Cam had school the next morning and I am NOT going to go through this argument with you again. The costume was a pain in the ass and you're not wearing it to Miss Sally's house."

"OOOOOHHHH" Jake looked at Maxie, his eyes even wider.

"I'm thinking the pool cue." she smiled and nodded at the little boy.

"Yep...pool cue goes in the swear box Daddy" Jake laughed and then laughed some more when Jason picked him up by his belt loops on his little blue jeans and swung him like he was going to toss him over the wrought iron railing.

"NOT the pool cue. I'll give up..." he stopped, thinking of something else he could give up.

"Me?" Maxie pointed at herself a big wide smile sparkling her face.

"You're not a toy Maxie." Jake giggled as he swung out again.

"Yeah but she's fun" Jason responded swinging Jason back and forth, a game he played with the boys often. "I'll give up the pool cue."

Maxie smiled a demure little smile and Jason felt his heart squeeze knowing he'd just confirmed to her that he preferred her over pool which for him was a huge admission.

"When are we gonna be done here? I wanna go to the park." Cameron announced climbing the stairs. "I'm bored."

"Oh is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles over?" Maxie asked as she stood and moved to the desk grabbing a swatch of material a woman had brought in wondering if she knew a designer that could make a dress using that material for her wedding dress. It was hideous but the woman had gobs and gobs of money so she'd put in a call to Federico and see what could be done.

"Yeah...can we go to the park now?" Cam asked again while tugging on Jason's other arm to get him to swing him too. Jason grabbed onto Cam's jeans and started swinging both boys back and forth by their pant belt loops.

"One day those loops are going to rip and you are both going to fall on your noggins." Maxie smiled as she set the swatch in a file folder and wrote a note on the folder to remind her what needed to be done when they came back in the next time. She closed the store yesterday for the two weeks the boys were off for Christmas break and Jason had taken the two weeks off as well. They were just there that morning to tie up a few loose ends and let Jason pay a couple of bills and gather his books to go to the accounting company to close their books for the year.

Even though the shop had only been open for eight months, Jason wanted the fiscal year to coincide with the calendar year. He said it was easier for everything. He also said if she continued the tradition of closing for the Christmas Holidays until after the first, it made perfect sense.

Suddenly she remembered as she looked at the calendar for the date she'd re-open the store.

"OH today's THAT day." she exclaimed as she turned to Jason who simply smiled at her realization. "We can't go to the park today. Actually, we better get going now if we want to take care of everything today."

She looked down at her skirt. "I really need to stop by the house and change into some jeans like you boys."

"And a t-shirt." Jason added. He loved when she was fresh from a shower, her hair in crazy, sexy curls all wild and blue jeans and plain t-shirt and tennis shoes.

Of course he loved her in heels. Especially when she would walk out of her closet in nothing but five inch stilettos. She'd done that a few times for him and he would always ask her to keep the heels on while he had his way with her.

"Okay" she shrugged giving him a flirty look. She knew she turned him on when she was dressed down.

"Why can't we go to the park?" Cameron asked as he dug the wedgie out of his behind once Jason set him and his brother down.

Jason was turning off the computer, putting the checkbook back into the safe and piling up the final receipts, check register and invoices in the cardboard box behind the December tab to take to the CPA. He no longer worked on Maxie's boutique's books at home, preferring to come to the shop and spend his time there doing the accounting while listening to Maxie rattle on about whatever happened that day. And he also had better things to do with his time when they were at home now as well.

"Because Maxie and I have a surprise for you two. It's an early Christmas present that we have to go get today."

"YAY!" both boys yelled in unison. They had become practically unbearable over the past week since they had put up their Christmas tree and lights around the house.

A task that Jason didn't want to do until Maxie promised something incredibly dirty as payment for the task. He spent three hours on the roof putting up lights then another two hours after the boys went to bed enjoying the fruits of his labor.

Once he was done he used his arm to usher Maxie and the boys down the stairs. Just as Maxie hit the first step, he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her flush to his body. "I have a surprise for you too."

"You do?"

"I do."

"Have I told you I love you today?"

He moved to press his lips against hers. "Yes but I don't mind hearing it again."

"I love you." She breathed and then deepened the kiss.

~%~%~%~%~%~

"I think her name should be Princess."

"He's a boy Jason and I think he should be called King"

"No" the boys shouted from the back of the king cab of the truck where Cameron and Jake were strapped into their car seat and booster with two huge dogs between them.

"It has to start with a P Maxie." Cameron explained. "Precious, Popeye and another P name."

"He's my puppy Cameron...I get to name him." she leaned in and the puppy licked at her face. "Aren't you baby. You're my puppy and Mommy gets to name you."

"That dog does not look like a him." Jason laughed as he looked over at the tan and white puppy with long wispy ears with tiny blue bows affixed to them. "Maybe Princess IS a fitting name."

"I'm not naming him Princess...besides..." she looked at him seriously. "Someone already has that nickname and she likes it."

"Okay...not Princess...how about Prince." Jason said smiling. Maxie had just admitted she actually liked when he called her Princess.

"Hmmm Prince." Maxie looked down into her lap and the puppy barked and sat up in her lap, licking her hand where she was scratching him under his chin. "You like Prince?"

The puppy barked again and she cooed at him. "Looks like you approve. What about you guys in the back? Shall we name the new puppy Prince? It's a P name."

"YES" came a chorus of shouts from the back seat and two loud woof's.

"Prince it is." Maxie smiled and with one hand reached across the center console and threaded her fingers with Jason's.

He pulled her hand up and kissed her knuckles.

"I love you Princess." He murmured while finally turning into the alley between their house and the Watsons to pull into the garage.

He had surprised her with the trip to Sarasota and the new puppy. The dog was incredibly expensive and the breeder was such an arrogant snob. He made them sign all kinds of documents making promises of never allowing the purebred to stud for another breed of dog. He hated the mixed breeds of snoodles and peekapoos and labradoodles. And Jason and Maxie had to sign a document promising to never allow the puppy to stud for anything other than another Cavalier King Charles Spaniel with AKC papers with proof of lineage showing that the dogs line at least three tiers were all of the same pure breed. They also had to sign that if they were to decide to get rid of the dog, the dog would be given back to the breeder. No person other than the breeder could take the dog off their hands or they stood to be sued.

In the end, Jason didn't care. The contracts and promises made to the breeder were essentially harmless. What did he care about studding the dog and giving it back to him if they didn't want the dog anymore.

Besides, with the way Maxie was behaving, they weren't getting rid of that dog, EVER.

Once back in Tampa, they stopped at four shelters, finally finding Popeye and Precious, two dogs that had to be given up two months prior by a military family when they were being shipped overseas. Precious was a pitt mix that was nine years old. She was a sweet dog that the previous owners said had never even growled at a human being. The shelter assured Jason and Maxie that in all the time the two dogs had been there, Precious was the best behaved and had a great way with children, even with the little ones that got excited and grabbed her ears or pulled her tail. The shelter's manager had assured Jason that the older dog never so much as reacted other than to pepper the children with kisses with her long tongue.

Jason watched as they were all in the room used to acclimate prospective adoptors to the animals, Maxie in the corner holding on to the new puppy and Cameron running around with Popeye. Jake hid behind Jason's leg and Precious moved over and just simply sat down next to the little boy, never even moving to lick him, and watched as Popeye and Cameron ran around the room barking and screaming and playing with a squeaky toy.

Jason bent down and petted the old girl and Jake followed suit. As soon as Jake felt comfortable and started petting Precious more, she laid down and rolled over begging for the boy to rub her belly.

Popeye seemed like he'd be a little more work. He was not quite four and was a Rhodesian Ridgeback mix. He had tons of energy and would jump up but the manager again assured him that the previous family said they never had an issue with him growling or biting people and that he was just a hyper active dog that needed a lot of attention.

The previous family had found him as a puppy and the three kids kept the dog active all day.

Since they had been together for nearly four years Jason agreed with the shelter that the two dogs should not be split up and he had been thinking two dogs, one for each boy, was a good idea anyway. So they paid their fees and signed their documents and added Popeye and Precious, who had already been named by the previous family, to their own quickly growing family.

Jason also wrote a rather large check in donation to the shelter after Maxie prompted him. It killed her how many animals were there hoping for a home. Jason didn't mind. He felt kind of guilty as well seeing all the cats and birds and dogs that had been dumped off or found roaming the streets. One Parrot had caught his eye and he considered buying it for Maxie's shop but then the bird started talking and whomever had him, had taught him to curse. So that idea was shot down quickly.

After the shelter, they stopped by the Pet Emporium. A huge store solely for animals. They were allowed to bring the dogs into the store on the temporary leashes they were provided. Maxie carried the puppy and Jason controlled the eighty and the sixty five pound dogs. Cameron pushed the cart and everyone loaded the cart with toys and food and chewys and leashes and a pooper scooper and everything imaginable for the dogs.

Then in cart number two, they loaded it with clothes for the puppy. All three boys and even Popeye barking that it was ridiculous that she wanted to put clothes on her dog. Then they found dog beds and food bowls and watering systems. Heartworm pills and training crates and designer pocketbooks.  
The latter for the puppy again.

Collars and grooming kits and dog shampoo. Flea preventer and books on training and grooming for the three different breeds.

Leaving the store, Jason's truck bed was nearly overflowing, which is why the two large dogs were crammed in the back seat with the boys.

But everyone was happy and smiling and after Jason checked again in his rearview mirror and then confirmed by looking at Maxie's profile that the three were still smiling, he could have cared less that he'd just shelled out a fortune and doubled his family in size as well as taken on the responsibility of three dogs.

His family was complete.

~%~%~%~%~

Popeye decided to start Christmas early and Jason was so very happy he hadn't put out ALL of the Christmas presents.

The dog didn't ruin anything although the sweater that the boys got him needed dry cleaning before he wore it to get the slobber and drool off of it. And the toys Maxie and the boys had bought but didn't give the dogs because they wanted them to be Christmas presents were scattered across the floor.

It was four thirty and a continuous squeaking noise from the living room and then the new addition to Jason and Maxie's bed, Prince, started barking to be let down to go play with the big dogs. Jason rolled over and tried to hide his head under the pillow but Maxie pushed at his shoulder and mumbled something about letting the dogs out.

That was his new middle of the night job.

He groaned and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Pushing at the tiny three pound puppy that was licking his ear. He was exhausted.

That was because Maxie gave him _his_ Christmas present after the boys went to sleep.

Jason was sent on a last minute errand while she was wrapping the last of the boys gifts. He was gone for twenty minutes and when he walked back into the house, Billy was walking out of his bedroom. His shock turned to confusion as Billy high fived him and then left the house without a word. He went to open the door to the bedroom but something blocked him as he called out Maxie's name.

Then a few minutes later, Hannah came out with a huge smile on her face and told him to count to fifty then go in. She then told him she'd lock the door on her way out and for all of them to have a Merry Christmas.

Jason quickly counted to fifty and when he opened the door to their bedroom, Maxie was tied up with a huge red ribbon and bow wearing nothing but a Santa Hat and red fuzzy heels and the ribbon tied her to a dancer pole that had been erected in the middle of their bedroom.

Jason was instantly hard and when he finally untied her, he was treated to an erotic dance and then some pretty wild sex.

The pole was collapsible and by one am she was done dancing for him so he tore it down. They finished up the stockings and went to bed where he made love to her once more while the puppy stared at him atop his bed in the corner.

Jason climbed out of bed, readjusting the silk red pajama bottoms that was also a gift from Maxie. Jake's nightmares hadn't quite stopped yet, although he hadn't had one in two days. Precious would sleep in bed with him and he hadn't had a nightmare once. But Maxie and Jason still made sure that when they were finally ready to go to sleep, they were dressed appropriately. Just like they had been for the past month.

No sense in having to have _that_ conversation with the boys yet.

He turned back around and picked up the puppy then leaned over the bed to place a kiss to Maxie's cheek. She let out a contented sigh and rolled over onto her stomach pulling the pillow over her head.

Jason met Cameron in the hallway who was rubbing at his own eyes. As Jason walked down the hall, Cameron behind him, he stepped on a squeaky toy and Prince started barking again. That started Precious so Jason tipped open the door and saw that Jake was now sitting up in bed too.

"Alright, I guess we're up for Christmas since Jake would be waking us up in a half hour anyway. You two go climb into bed with Maxie and I'll be in there to get you three in a minute once the dogs have gone out to do their business."

"Okay Jason." Cameron yawned as he turned around and headed toward the door at the far end of the hall. "Come on Jake."

Jake climbed out of bed and followed his brother and Jason made a ticking sound with his mouth sucking air between his teeth and Precious jumped from the bed to follow him. He could do nothing but laugh at the site in the living room. Popeye could apparently read pretty well and only got confused by a few of the wrapped gifts because aside from one sweater and a new pair of shoes for Jake, Popeye had only opened gifts that were to the dogs.

Eventually Jason was sitting on the couch with a cup of coffee in his hand. He'd set up the video camcorder in the corner of the room behind him to capture the day. Maxie was on the floor sitting Indian style with Prince in her lap sleeping next to a stuffed bear the size of him. Jake was climbing on her back and Cameron was leaned up against her. Precious was laying on the floor below Jason with her chin resting on his feet and Popeye was in the bad dog crate for a time out after he took Cameron's new Ninja Turtle action figure and ran around the house while Cameron screamed and chased him.

And Jason could not have been happier.

He noticed Maxie look back at the tree. He hadn't given her his gift yet. Well except for the well endowed package he'd bestowed upon her again and again last night in the bedroom. Yet somehow he didn't think that was going to be enough for the little pixie blond.

He watched as she sighed and turned around again, petting at Prince. He'd told her two days ago that the purebred was her Christmas present just like the two other dogs were the boys' gift but he knew Maxie expected more.

"Hang on a minute, I forgot something." Jason announced and stood, causing the older dog to groan her displeasure at losing her pillow.

"What'd you forget Daddy?" Jake asked while he practically choked the life out of Maxie hanging on the back of her.

"Well I haven't given Maxie her gift from me yet."

He quickly glanced in her direction and watched as her sullen eyes lit up at his words. She tried to play coy and even said, 'Oh no...Prince was my present remember?' but Jason knew he had just made her happy.

A few minutes later he walked in from the garage with four boxes of the same size.

They were wrapped beautifully and Maxie was so excited. Jason pulled Prince from her lap and sat on the coffee table facing her. Jake finally stopped climbing on her when he was threatened with a time out just like Popeye who was in the corner in his cage crying and looking very remorseful for his earlier antics.

As Maxie opened the first gift her eyes widened in wonder. With the second, tears welled up in her eyes. By the third she was out and out bawling and at the fourth, she leaped into Jason's arms and openly wept as she kissed him.

"I don't see what's the big deal over a bunch of stupid Barbie Dolls" Cameron announced as he stomped toward the kitchen to find something to eat since it looked like Jason wasn't going to be cooking them breakfast anytime soon.


	17. Chapter 16

**A/N: Okay...I did not beta this. Only spell check. Sorry if it's crap.**

**Chapter 16**

The Christmas holidays were over and the Webster-Johnson household fell quickly back into routine. With a few added features. Date night was now Sunday nights and the boys would leave with Vonnie Kemp to go to Sunday night church and then to her house to play games.

Vonnie was a wonderful person and was ready for grandchildren. So the boys became her practice ground. Her new grandson was a newborn so she was already a grandma but there was very little interaction with a baby that slept most of the times. Yet as the baby grew older many times it was date night for Glenn and his wife on Sunday's as well. When that happened, Glenn would drop the boys off at home when he picked up his own son from his mothers around eleven. Jason would go to the car and carry the boys in with Glenn's help. Sometimes they would spend the night with Vonnie Sunday nights and she would drop them off in the morning on her way to work for Jason and Maxie to get them off to school and daycare.

Jason had also switched his four day work week around to Tuesday through Friday so that he and Maxie would have Monday's off together. They would get the boys ready and feed them and then walk Cameron to school with the dogs and then Jake at daycare. The morning walk was always interesting because Jake and Cameron had so much to tell them about the previous night at church. The boys were really enjoying learning about religion and meeting the people of the congregation.

So the next change was that on Sunday mornings, the Webster-Johnson family got up and went to church. Most of the time the boys would ride in with Mr and Mrs Watson. She was in charge of setting up the coffee, juice and donuts in the rec hall so they enjoyed going to get first dibs. Jason and Maxie would ride with Billy and Hannah or they would go pick the couple up. So traditional Sunday evening dinner became Sunday after church lunch with the whole Watson family or just Billy, Hannah and Junior.

Then there was the addition of the dogs.

To say the three animals had turned the house upside down was an understatement. Popeye spent a lot of time out in the training crate. Prince was a puppy so potty training was not a lot of fun and Precious...well Precious was good and had become Jake's best friend.

Jason would skip his lunchtime break from work to go home and let the dogs out. Prince went to work with Maxie so he didn't have to worry about that. Popeye and Precious were house trained and Jason had installed a dogie door but the first time Cameron came running in shrieking that Popeye was in the street, Jason realized that the dog could hop the fence so he couldn't leave the dogie door open while they were gone. And leaving them locked in the house was a disaster.

It seems the dogs knew how to open doors so the first day they came home, remnants of food from the pantry was all over the kitchen and living room. Then Popeye thought it would be fun to eat the plants that were growing in front of the big bay window. An herb garden Jason was going to plant for Maxie come spring. She was really trying with this cooking thing but still was not very successful in producing a meal that was edible. Two hundred pounds of rich black soil was all over the living room floor and the new couch.

Jason took Maxie that night to pick out their new living room suit and the new carpet.

The third day, Maxie forgot to shut her bedroom door and three pair of shoes were chewed.

Popeye stayed in the crate from then on when no one was home. The vet explained that because Popeye was still so young and his previous family had someone, kids, at home all day long most days, he was exhibiting anxiety. He assured Jason and Maxie that with proper crate training, obedience training and patience, the dog would come around.

So, Jason and Cameron went with Popeye to obedience training three times a week in the afternoon after school. And they were seriously considering putting the dogs in daycare until Dale came over and suggested he simply put in an invisible fence and limit access to the kitchen only for the dogs while they were gone.

Jason and Billy installed the fence and because logistically blocking off the kitchen was impossible, they changed Jason's old room so that it could be used at a play room and where the dogs spent the day.

Things seemed to be doing better from there.

They celebrated Jason's thirty seventh birthday by going to Bush Gardens with the boys. The kids had a blast and Jason and Maxie enjoyed the family day at the theme park. Once home, Hannah came to babysit and Jason and Maxie took off for an evening out of dinner, a walk on the beach and a night at a hotel room on the beach in St Petersburg.

The trip to Bush Gardens reminded Jason of how exhilarating speed could be and he continued to try to convince Maxie to take rides with him on the back of his motorcycle. He had an itch to ride more often and wanted to include Maxie. She always turned him down and he would ride off for an hour or two after the boys went to bed and then come home and climb in beside her and sleep more peacefully. Maxie would never ask him about his rides or protest when he wanted to go. She would simply say, 'I'm glad you made it home in one piece.'

Then one night he didn't. He made it home but Billy had to come get him and the bike was destroyed. A car didn't see him and sent him into a brick wall that surrounded a gated community out on the curvy Gulf Breeze Highway where he liked to ride. The police suggested he go to the hospital and the woman who pulled out in front of him offered to drive him herself but Jason hated hospitals and he had been in much worse shape than the few cracked ribs and the cuts on his hands, arms and leg weren't deep enough to require stitches. At least he didn't think so. Luckily he had on a helmet.

Maxie used Jake to guilt Jason into wearing one. Since Jason insisted Jake wear one on _his_ bike, Jason had to follow suit.

And had he not been, he would have certainly been in the hospital if not in the morgue since his head went straight into the brick wall. He knew better than to call Maxie. Over the years Jason had come to realize that Maxie didn't handle crisis like this well. She would panic and spiral out of control until someone reeled her back in. And for the past two-plus years, it was always him that had to do the reeling.

He showered when he got home in the boys bathroom because he was filthy and didn't want to ruin Maxie's light green towels and then used the first aid kit to place butterfly bandages over the cuts that probably _should_ have had a stitch or two and clean up the ones that didn't. He finally climbed into bed in only his boxer shorts around one thirty in the morning and when he moved to slide his arm around Maxie's slender body he was shocked at her words.

"Don't touch me."

"What?"

"She's not happy. That's why it happened. She doesn't want me in your and the boys' life."

He was confused. Maxie wasn't making sense. "Who Princess?"

He used his new nickname for her since she gave the heads up that she liked it. But he never used it in public because he found out quickly that it caused him physical pain.

"Elizabeth." She half sobbed.

He sat up at the mention of his past love's name, wincing and letting out a guttural groan when the movement pressed his ribs down and stabbed his side with pain. He took a few deep breaths and adjusted on the bed.

"Maxie..." he drawled. "What are you talking about? Elizabeth didn't cause my motorcycle accident."

"YOU WRECKED THE BIKE?" She shot up in bed and turned to tap on the touch lamp on the bedside table. Suddenly the room lit up brightly.

"Well yes..." He looked at her confused as her eyes and then fingers roamed his sore and abused body. "Why what were you talking about?"

"Where did you wreck? OH MY GOD JASON YOUR KNEE." She focused in on the huge gauze bandage that was already staining red.

Jason stopped her hands from touching it. Partly because it was quite painful and also because he needed to get her attention focused back on what had her so upset.

"Hey...hey...I'm fine." He assured her.

"No you're not Jason. And see...that right there proves it. She wants me to leave."

"Who...Elizabeth? Maxie are you okay?" he was now looking at her concerned. A look that said, I'm afraid you've lost your mind and need a straight jacket and time at a funny farm.

She thinned her lips, knowing that Jason could care less abut his injuries right now and wanted to know what whacked out idea was going through her mind. Normally this was when she would retreat. She would play it off or simply start an argument with him about how he always accused her of lying or something equally ridiculous that would not escalate into a full on fight but would deter him from the subject at hand.

She never told him her suspicions of Elizabeth disapproving of her. Of the strange mishaps and bad karma that would follow her when she was messing up with the boys or the serious issues of doubt she'd been having since she and Jason got together. No that was her own private demon only expressed the one time to Bobbie and then kept to herself. No one needed to know of her fears and doubts.

Not doubt for Jason or the love he had for her. But doubt that Elizabeth would allow it to become more than a fling. Now, nearly six months later, there was no way the dead woman was going to allow things to continue as happily as they had been going. It was early April and things had been going perfectly. They'd lived in the house for a little over a year and been fully together in every way for four months. They were planning Jake's fourth birthday party and gearing up for the contest at the boutique for prom.

Cameron had been tested and was going into a program in school for advance education come fall. He was really smart. Jason and Maxie had realized that early on when they first took over raising him but he was surpassing even their hopes for the boy. The boy was intuitive, logical, quick witted, had a photographic memory and his vocabulary was way beyond what a seven year olds should be although he kept the humor alive with mispronunciations. But what astounded them the most was that he could now read books well above what his range should have been.

Yet he was still a typical boy. He thought girls were still gross and could send Maxie into a tailspin most days bringing home frogs and garden snakes and scraped knees. He was playing T-ball. Maxie was the team Mom, well Aunt, and _Georgie's Boutique_ was the teams sponsor and paid for the sixteen six and seven year olds uniforms. Jason helped the coach with the kids and Jake was the bat boy. In all the family was fully involved in the child's sports and were spending most afternoons at the ball park.

Jake was more like his father. He was smart, that was for sure, but he didn't feel the need to show it. He was quiet and reflective. He liked working with his hands and didn't mind getting dirty if it meant he would be pleased with the outcome. He kept his head down but did whatever he wanted, rules be damned. And because he was so much like Jason in that regard, Maxie found herself defending the boy more and more when his father was chastising him. Besides, he never really got into _too_ much trouble. He was three, almost four. How much trouble could he possibly get into?

He loved working in the yard with his father and the two had planted lots of flowers and plants and even a small water garden in the back and side yards. He decided where everything should go according to colors and aesthetics. He was very artistic and he would draw up ideas for landscaping and he and Jason would jump in the truck and head down to the local home improvement store to get the supplies. By the end of the weekend, the area of the yard would look exactly like the picture he had drawn. He had an amazing talent and Jason and Maxie continually praised him for it.

Jake found a box in the garage when he was helping his father put Christmas decorations in the attic. In it were all of his mother's old art supplies from her studio. There were half used sketch books and paint brushes and half used oils and water colors. Jason went and bought him an easel and new supplies but he preferred to use his mothers old charcoals and colored pencils.

The Florida room was now officially a play room for the kids. It had a TV and video games and the walls had shelves to hold books and games and toys. Each boy had his own locking cabinet for them to keep their favorite things and Jason had taken out the carpet and tiled the floor when Jake started painting.

For nearly four, he was quite adept at drawing and Maxie had looked into getting him into some art classes at the local community center to help him learn the logistics of his art.

The dogs were much better too. Prince was fully house trained and had become everyone's baby, including Precious. The older dog cared for the little puppy and protected him. She would nudge the puppy to eat and hover over him and around him when he was home. And Popeye had completed his obedience training and became used to his new family's schedule so much that Jason finally put the training crate away and the dogs had full run of the house and the back yard again.

Rarely did they come home to find Popeye had misbehaved. Rarely.

Their life was comfortable, predictable and happy. Just how Jason liked it.

But Maxie would get paranoid on occasion. And Jason would have to talk her down off the proverbial ledge. She was still convinced that there was another shoe waiting drop from the sky and wipe out their family's bliss. And there was nothing, no amount of convincing or telling her or showing her, that would convince her otherwise.

"Princess, just tell me." He moved, wincing but keeping the pain from being audible. "I can't help you if you don't tell me what's going on in that beautiful brain of yours."

Prince climbed the stairs Jason built on the side of the bed and climbed into Maxie's lap. She absently petted the dog while staring at the growing bruise on Jason's naked chest just under his left pec where the handlebars of the bike jabbed him.

Realizing she was shutting down, like she always did, he stood from the bed and pulled Prince from her lap, bending down cautiously holding his side to drop the dog on the ground. "Come on."

"Where are we going?"

"Where do you think?"

"It's cold outside."

"We'll grab a blanket."

"You're hurt"

"You're hurting worse and this always seems to help you find your way back to me."

"I'm not lost."

"Yes you are. But it's okay Maxie. I've got you now."

He tugged her hand and she followed silently. As they neared the back door he leaned over and picked up the blanket that always sat on the extra chair at the kitchen table. Quietly he pulled her outside, allowing all three dogs to come with them and climbed onto the lounge chair pulling her down with him.

He flinched a bit when he pulled her on top of him but then they adjusted and he covered them with the blanket and they found the peaceful comfort and silence that they had grown to love to experience many nights in this same spot.

They didn't do this as often anymore. Only when one or the other needed to de-stress and feel the comfort of the other knowing that this was their place. The place where both of them converged and came together as one mind, body and soul. It was their place of tranquility where they could be back to the basics of just being. It wasn't the place for sex. It wasn't the place where they fell in love or where life held all of its meaning. It was simply a lounge chair in their back yard where Jason and Maxie could open up and talk about anything or simply sit and listen to the other in silence ramble about their day. It was where they could simply hold each other and know that the one person that was essential to their happiness was there.

"Are you going to tell me?" He finally asked after twenty minutes of listening to her breathe.

"You'll think I'm crazy." She sighed and traced an old scar on his chest that was just in her sightline.

"I already think you're crazy Princess. I just want to know what new form of crazy you've taken on." He chuckled and then flinched and shouted in pain when she hit him.

"Sorry."

"It's okay but be gentle with my ribs okay? I think it's possible I actually _did_ break one or two."

"We should go to the hospital." She sat up, concern clearly evident on her soft features.

"There's nothing they can do. They'll tape them up but that doesn't do much. Tomorrow, if it's worse I'll know and you can tape mine up for me."

He pulled her back down and she went freely.

"Now spill it. When I left here everything was fine. The kids were getting ready for bed and you were giving Prince a bath." He tipped her head up with his forefinger to her chin so that she had to look at him. Her eyes were darker and sad in the moonlight. "What happened? And what does Elizabeth have to do with it."

"She doesn't _want _me to have her life."

"You _don't _have her life. You have _your _life. _**Our**_ life."

"I'm living the life she should have had. And she's fighting back now. More than usual."

"Maxie you aren't making any sense. Who's fighting back?"

"Elizabeth"

"Elizabeth?" He said it so incredulously there was no doubt that he thought she was crazy now.

"I know I sound crazy..."

"No...no" he lied "just...can you explain to me how you think Elizabeth is fighting back?"

"I think Precious is Elizabeth."

"WHAT?"

She was crazy and he was going to have to take her to a place like Ferncliff just like he had to do with Carly. He should have known better than to hook up with another crazy woman. Especially one that reminded him so much of his best friend.

Well..his old best friend. Nowadays he would have to say Billy was his best friend. Billy and Maxie because Maxie knew everything but Billy always had his back. And he saw the difference between the two. A lover and a best friend. He and Billy had become so close that Billy asked Jason to be the Best Man at his wedding.

They had a nice wedding the month prior. Maxie had dressed the entire wedding party to the nines, her wedding gift to her best friend Hannah including a wedding dress designed specifically for Hannah from an up and coming designer from Milan who flew to the states at Maxie's request. Maxie promised to house his designs in exchange so that he could get a foothold in the United States.

At the reception, Billy had asked Jason when he would be marrying Maxie but he had no reason or desire to change anything in their life. And Maxie had never mentioned wanting to get married so he told Billy there was no need to mess with a good thing.

Now he was coming to realize that he'd probably need to marry her so that he could have power of attorney and commit her to a facility against her will to seek mental health. Because Maxie, whether she was Maxie Jones or Maxie Webster or Maxie Johnson, would never willingly be committed to a place where their change in fashion was different colored cotton pajamas.

"Precious...she's Elizabeth." She hesitantly answered looking away from him when she saw the astonished and disbelieving look on his face.

"Precious is a dog Maxie. Are you sure you're feeling alright?"

"No listen. I'm not crazy...well I'm crazy but no more than usual. I've been thinking about this and…well…Precious and Popeye were left at the shelter for two months before we found them. Their old family was no longer there so we took over. We had the boys for two years at that point. Almost to the day. Remember? We left town just before Christmas in two thousand and eight. Right after Elizabeth died."

"So?"

"SO...two...two months...two years."

"Okay let's say there's some sort of connection instead of a barely perceptible coincidence with the number two. And I say barely perceptible because you are really stretching with this." He shifted on the chair so that they were facing each other. Maxie tucked into the crook of his arm looking up at him. "Why Precious? Why not Popeye or Prince. We got both of them that day."

"Precious and Jake are inseparable. The one person that took to me completely. The one that may or may not ever have remembered much about his mother...wants nothing to do with me anymore. It's all about Precious. He eats with the dog, he plays with the dog, he talks to the dog and he sleeps with the dog. He doesn't need me anymore."

"He does too need you Maxie. Where is all this coming from? Did you and Jake have a problem tonight?"

"He drew a picture. It had you and Cam, Popeye and Precious and him. It had Elizabeth in the clouds like he always draws but Prince and I weren't there."

"Maybe he was drawing something that happened when you and Prince wouldn't have been there. Like last Saturday when we all went to the park. You and Prince were at the boutique."

"Maybe but I don't think so. He doesn't need me anymore. Oh and he didn't want me to read to him. I went to climb into bed with him and he shook his head no and called Precious up on the bed."

"He does need you Maxie. He's just becoming more independent. He does that to me all the time. That just means he's so tired he doesn't need to read a book. And Cam has been teasing him about still being a baby because he still isn't starting school next year so he's been really taking that hard and trying to change things that he thinks makes him look like a baby. Besides, he's been working with those _See Jane Run_ books that Denny gave to him. I think he's trying to learn how to read himself. You know we've been putting a lot of emphasis on Cameron being so smart and getting into that Gifted Program at school. Maybe he wants to prove that he's just as smart."

"Precious turned her back to me." She sighed as if that was the final convincing piece of evidence he would need.

"Maxie now you are really grasping at straws. The dog turned her back to you?"

"Yes and she was mad at me earlier when I gave Prince a bath."

"Jesus Maxie. You've lost it. Really you have. Precious is so protective of Prince and Prince hates baths. So if Precious was mad at you or turned her back to you or whatever the hell you are imagining, that's it. Hell the dog probably just liked the view in the other direction."

"Jason STOP IT....I'M SERIOUS!" She hit him on the arm and he winced in pain. "Oh jeez...I...I'm so sorry...you hurt your arm too?"

"No" he started laughing.

"You asshole"

"You love me"

He moved to tickle her but she blocked it. She grabbed his hands in hers and turned on his lap and faced him. Her butt was on the seat between his legs and her legs stretched out semi-straddling him. She looked into his eyes and her eyes softened then took on a serious hue.

"I DO love you. That's the problem Jason."

"No Maxie, the problem is that you're scared. And whatever is happening you are expecting it to turn bad. But you don't need to manifest that fear into you thinking our _dog_ is a reincarnated version of Elizabeth."

"Jason, I'm not manifesting fears. It's really happening." He raised his eyebrow at her and she sighed in aggravation. "You don't believe me."

"Oh I believe the things you said happened. I just don't believe that it's the ghost of Elizabeth doing it to you."

He turned serious as well. He didn't like the topic. He hated talking about Elizabeth. He was well aware of her fears. Bobbie had told him as much but he never addressed them with her because he felt that time would prove her wrong. But over the past few months she had become more and more paranoid. She was convinced that the 'powers that be' or the 'ghost of Elizabeth' or 'karma' was going to ruin their happiness but the only thing ruining it was Maxie's paranoia.

And he had no Earthly idea as to how to assuage her fears. Especially since she would never open up to him. He wondered briefly while looking into her eyes and seeing she was barely holding back tears if it was because he teased her and always thought her silly.

"Look. I love you and that's all that matters. If Elizabeth isn't happy with you and I then that's her problem." He took a deep breath. "And if Precious is really Elizabeth and Jake finds comfort with our dog then that's a good thing too. You know what it's like to grow up without a parent. Hell without two parents once you and Georgie were teenagers. I mean you had Mac…which is like the boys having you. You do for Cameron and Jake what Mac always did for you and Georgie. He kept you safe and happy and spent time with you and loved you. That's what you do for the boys."

"But" she started to protest.

"No buts Maxie…and the biggest thing you do for this family is make us all happy. Maybe if you just stop believing there's trouble coming, we could just live our lives happy and change our luck for the better. Maybe just accepting our roles in each others lives and being grateful everyday that we have each other will prove to Elizabeth that we are made for each other. Because we are, you know. All of my life, all of the sorrow and death and loss has led me here…with you and the boys. I could never be happier and I don't ever want it to change."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. And when you get scared again, I want you to remember this moment. I want you to remember how much I love you and how much the boys love you and that **WE** are a family. I won't let anyone come between us. Okay?"

He kept staring at her waiting for her reply. Seeing the tear slip down her cheek he worried that his declaration hadn't worked but then her face broke into a smile. She leaned in and gently pressed her lips to his. "Okay"

~%~%~%~%~

Another week had gone by and Maxie was doing much better with her insecurities. That night had really opened up the dialogue and Jason was stunned at the number of things that happened to them in every day life that she thought was Elizabeth showing her disapproval. He had even caught her reminding herself when she burned the cookies she was baking for the Little League game on Saturday that it wasn't Elizabeth upset that she was the Team 'Mom'. It was simply that she was a horrible cook and she didn't read the package on the already made and sized cookies and set the oven for one hundred degrees hotter than it should have been.

It was Sunday afternoon and Jason was mowing the lawn while Jake cut roses off the blooming bush to take in to Maxie. Cameron was off with Junior at a pool party and Maxie was in the garage doing laundry.

"Hey stranger…long time no see." Came a familiar voice.

Maxie shot around and her jaw dropped as she took in the petite brunette smiling back at her.

"Robin...what are you doing here?" She asked and then dropped the load of Jake's dirty laundry and rushed past Jason's workbench and launched herself into her cousin's arms.

"Well, I came to see how my favorite cousin is doing." She announced as she pulled back from Maxie's embrace and took a roaming glance at her little cousin.

She was completely taken aback by what she saw.

Maxie was in blue jean short and a Tampa Bay Ray's t-shirt. She had on tennis shoes and her hair was longer and slightly darker but still blond. Just not platinum blond…more of a honey blond and in a pony tail. Her face had very little makeup and she had gained at least fifteen pounds since she'd last seen her nearly two years ago.

"Oh my God Jason's going to be so excited." Maxie turned to look toward the back yard. "Come on, let's surprise him."

Maxie grabbed onto Robin's hand and drug her around out of the garage and toward the side yard where the gate was. Skipping happily and turning to hug Robin every two steps. She asked a million questions in the short walk on the terra cotta stepping stones that formed a walkway that led directly from the garage to the chain link gate.

What was she doing here?

Why didn't she call?

How long was she staying?

Was it safe for her to come?

How was Emma?

Did Mac come with her?

Robin just smiled at her younger cousin. This was the Maxie she knew. The girl was full of energy and never letting another get in a word edgewise. As they turned the final corner around a shed that was open and housed lots of yard tools she finally got a glimpse of the huge back yard and her jaw dropped.

Jason was shirtless in a pair of cut off jean shorts, tennis shoes and white mid calf socks. His skin was golden brown from the sun, his hair much, much lighter blond, streaked from the sun and he was standing in front of the lawn mower picking up a tennis ball and throwing it deep into the yard yelling at Popeye to let him finish mowing and they would play.

The huge brown dog took off after the ball and Jake laughed and shook his head then reached over and patted Precious on her head. She would follow Jake picking up the handle of the basket that he was tossing roses into.

Robin was amazed at how domestic the whole scene was. And how Godlike Jason still looked. He had obviously still been working out and the set of his shoulders and the easy way he threw the ball and then watched the dog head toward the back of their property showed that the man hadn't a care in the world.

"I know. I keep threatening to throw those ratty assed shorts away but he hides them from me. He only wears them to do yard work though, THANK GOD. But he has gone to Home Depot in them before. It's so embarrassing." Maxie rambled.

Robin turned to stare, surprised at her cousins words but then something caught his attention. In the corner of the house against the back wall of the garage a little boy, maybe four years old that was the spitting image of Jason stood and pulled a basket out of a dogs mouth and then yelled, "Hey Daddy, I'm done. Can I put on my bathing suit now? Me and Precious wanna go swimming."

Jason turned to respond to Jacob but Maxie caught his eye first. He smiled an easy smile but then saw who was standing next to her as Maxie was trying to open the gate and his jaw dropped. He immediately turned off the lawn mower and swiftly walked over to the fence.

"Robin?" Jason sounded as if he didn't believe his eyes.

"Hey Jase" she said casually. "You're looking good."

"Oh WOW…ROBIN!" Jason quickly unlocked the gate, a feat Maxie still had not accomplished and pulled his ex girlfriend into his arms.

Jake saw the exchange and walked over to the three adults, Precious in tow and worked his way around his father who had lifted the stranger into the air hugging her and went to stand behind Maxie, peeking out from her side. His fear of strangers had never faded. He was never sure of a person at first but once you got his approval he opened up immensely.

Maxie and Jason had always supposed that was a side effect from the kidnapping that killed his mother.

Finally Jason put Robin down and moved to let Robin come through the gate into the back yard. Maxie and Jacob followed suit. Precious remained beside Jake and once Popeye got the ball, he came barreling over to the crowd and promptly jumped up on Robin looking the petite woman in the eyes and putting his front paws on her shoulder.

Robin nearly fell but Jason caught Popeye's collar in time to keep him from tackling the woman.

"**POPEYE!" **all three yelled at the same time.

"Well hello big dog." Robin smiled as she pushed at the dog and he finally got down. She bent to pet him and then turned her head to look past Maxie's arm and look Jake in the eyes. "And hello to you too. You must be Jacob Martin Spencer. I'm so happy to meet you. I was a real good friend of your Mommy and Daddy. I was one of the first people to ever hold you and I used to babysit you when your Mommy worked with me at the hospital."

Jason cleared his throat. "Robin, his name is Jacob Martin Johnson."

Jason looked down at his son who's expression had gone from fear to confusion to curiosity and then again to confusion. "Daddy…who's Spencer?"

"No one son. No one." He said and then looked at Maxie who was biting her lower lip with worry. "Robin, what brings you here? How did you know where to find us?"

Jason held his arm out in silent invitation for Robin to take a seat on their patio furniture. Robin walked the few short steps to the cement patio and sat on the couch. Jake moved to sit on one of the lounge chairs and Precious hopped up and laid down right next to him. Popeye lost interest and went to find his ball again. Jason pulled Maxie into him wrapped his arm around her.

"EWWWWWW JASON!" Maxie exclaimed and moved to get out from under his arms.

Robin saw the entire exchange and her eyes widened. "So Uncle Mac was right. You two are an item?"


	18. Chapter 17

A/N: Okay...so I've seen where some feel it's prudent to make a disclaimer. So here goes...I don't own the characters developed by General Hospital, ABC, yadda yadda...I do own the story but in no way intend to harm or disclose anything that could possibly cause me and my bank account harm. ;-P

**Chapter 17**

"So Uncle Mac was right. You two are an item?"

"Uh…yeah." Maxie gave a half smile half worried look at her cousins disbelieving comment.

Jason squeezed her shoulder and leaned to place a kiss atop Maxie's head. "We sure are."

He emphasized it as if it was the most wonderful thing in the world and to him, it was. It caused Maxie to feel more confident. She hadn't had to face the outside world with regard to her relationship with Jason. Well, their past at least. And Robin was important to both of them for different reasons.

Robin always seemed to be Jason's true north. That guidance that he used for right and wrong. At least years ago. Even after they broke up. He would talk to her and it would help him find his way.

And with Maxie, she idolized her older cousin. Always had. Robin was the first to lose her parents and have Mac raising her. She was strong and independent and smart. And she was riddled with more adversity than anyone she knew and yet, she kept going. She made goals, focused and achieved them. Even Emma was a goal. Patrick...finding true love.

Maxie always wanted to be her but never seemed to know the right way to achieve her goals so when she didn't obtain them or she did but they were goals geared to further destroy her, she would die a little each time seeing the look in her father's eyes, and Georgie's and especially Robin's.

But Jason had never been a goal she set out to achieve. It just sort of happened when they weren't looking. And even though she was still so scared because the rug was always ripped out underneath her, Jason always managed to help her find the calm and peace she only found while in his arms. A safety she'd never known before.

"Interesting." Robin commented half under her breath. Then she looked at Jake. "So how are you doing Jake?"

Jason felt Maxie deflate under his arm. Robin had made it very clear in one word that she wasn't a fan of the new pairing. It angered him but then he didn't care what Robin or anyone thought of their relationship. But he knew Maxie did.

Jake murmured a 'good' and then looked to his father and Maxie for their reactions. Jake was an intuitive little boy and he could tell that the lady sitting in front of him wasn't very happy for his Daddy and Maxie.

Jason decided to let the comment slide and hoped to lighten the mood. "The rest of us are good too. So what brings you here? Did Mac tell you where we live?"

"Actually it was Bobbie. The other night at the hospital it was pretty dead and we were talking at the hub about Michael and I mentioned you and she said you guys were really thriving and that Maxie's boutique was a real money maker. I asked her about it and she said you named it after Georgie." She shifted on the outdoor sofa and leaned over to pet Precious who licked her hand. "I got curious as to how you guys were doing and I figured there couldn't be that many _Georgie's Boutiques_ in the world so I did an internet search and found you guys here."

"Oh" Was Maxie's only response. She'd known her cousin all her life and could already tell that Robin Scorpio-Drake did NOT approve of her and was here on a fact finding mission.

"Yeah, the boutique's doing really great. Maxie's a great business woman. I'm so proud of her. In another year I can probably quit my job." Jason laughed trying to lighten the mood as he eyed the beautiful blond in his arms.

"Why would you do that Daddy?" Jake asked and Jason realized that maybe Jake didn't need to be here for this conversation.

"Jake why don't you go take the roses inside for Maxie to clean and put in the vases. Then you need to wash your hands and you can put on your trunks and you and Precious can go swimming." Jake could have cared less about any of the adults at the mention of going in the pool. They had installed a bigger pool now that he could swim and if this summer turned out okay, his father promised to put in a real pool in the ground like Ling-Mei had. He took off running toward the basket of flowers and scooped them up, Precious hopping beside him excited form his energy. "Oh and call your brother at Juniors and tell him to come home. We have family in town."

Jake turned and looked at his father curiously at the mention of _family_ and then shrugged and pulled open the sliding glass door letting him and Precious in and Prince out. Prince shot across the patio as fast as his little legs could carry him and Maxie smiled a genuine smile as she scooped up the ten pound puppy. Jason dropped his hand from Maxie's shoulder when she bent over but then tugged her and Prince over to the lounge chair that Jake and Precious had just exited and pulled Maxie down to sit beside him. In _their_ chair. Putting a possessive hand on her knee.

"So you looked us up and just came down here to see us?" Maxie asked, hesitation in her voice.

"I didn't do anything that would raise suspicion. Even Patrick thinks I am down here at a conference on the uses of new psychiatric medicines with regard to memory loss. There actually is a convention here in town for that. I guess it was just karma that it was in the town I wanted to fly to to see you guys."

There was that damn _karma_ word and Jason knew as soon as she said it, that Maxie was going to freak out again. And it didn't take long for her to confirm his suspicions. He heard her audible gasp and then looked to see her face stricken in fear.

"Maxie don't." he whispered in her ear as he put his arm around her again.

"Maxie I must say, you are the biggest shock. Look at you. You're so…Carol Brady."

"Why would you say that?" Maxie asked.

"Maybe because I haven't seen you wear jean shorts since you were seven and you were doing laundry when I walked into the garage."

"Carol Brady never wore jean shorts either and…I would only wear them around the house. I mean…" she looked to Jason but his face was stoic and stone-like. "I guess being called Carol Brady would be a compliment. She's like the best TV mom ever so…whatever."

"Who's Carol Brady?" Jason asked.

Both women look at him as if he'd just grown three heads.

"What?" He stared wide eyed at both gawking women.

They both broke into a fit of giggles and Jason let out a sigh of relief at the sound. Maybe this wasn't so bad. Maybe the awkwardness was over. Maybe Robin would support them and then Maxie could finally calm down.

Maybe.

~%~%~%~%~%~

Jason cooked Kebabs on the grill. A special recipe Maxie had learned that she actually had perfected. The marinade was a combination of Catalina Dressing, Soy Sauce and Onion Powder. The Kebabs were a favorite and they cooked them often.

Jason always ate three skewers of pineapple, onion, red, green and orange bell pepper and mushrooms. Then one skewer of jumbo butterfly shrimp and one skewer of cubed chicken. Maxie and the boys would split two skewers of each of the meats and four skewers of the vegetables but then Jason would finish whatever was left on Maxie's plate, as had become their custom.

Maxie would do all of the preparation including making rice for them to eat with the kebabs. She learned quickly that she had to make a double batch, making enough for Jason to then eat more of at midnight when he would go hunting for food after sex. He swore the kebabs were better cold than fresh from the grill.

Robin was impressed and had even entered the simple recipe for the marinade into her Blackberry, telling Maxie she would make it for Mac and Patrick when she got back home. The girls spent time with Jake at the pool, swinging their legs on the side of the deck and throwing the frisbee along with Jason for Precious and Popeye to chase after.

Cameron had come home with Billy, Hannah and Junior in tow and all three curious friends met Maxie's cousin. Cameron didn't recognize Robin, or if he did he didn't let on, so that was a relief. They didn't stay long, knowing that the visit was a surprise for both Jason and Maxie.

Once dinner was over, Jason offered to take the boys out for ice cream while Robin and Maxie caught up with each other more. He knew there was girl talk to be done and could tell both women were just waiting for the opportunity when he and the boys weren't around.

He didn't mind. Sure it was nice seeing Robin but he didn't feel the same about her that he did long ago. She was more just a part of his past. His focus was on his present and the future he wanted to share with the four inhabitants of the Webster-Johnson household.

When he got back with the boys, he put them to bed. Robin would be staying in Jake's bedroom and the boys would both bunk in Cam's room. It didn't take long for them both to fall asleep. Jason was reading a travel book on the Fiji Islands and both zonked out when he got to the climate and average rainfall.

When he entered the living room both girls were headed out onto the patio with fruity drinks in tow. Jason grabbed a beer from the fridge and joined them.

"It's been a very interesting day." Robin commented as she laid down on the lounge chair. Jason and Maxie's lounge chair much to Jason's chagrin.

Jason's brows furrowed but then he smiled when he saw Maxie pat the open spot on the couch next to her. Quickly he moved over and slid in behind her bringing one leg up to stretch longways on the couch and Maxie slid up close to him pressing her back into his chest.

"Pretty normal for around here." Jason murmured as he leaned in and kissed Maxie's bare shoulder. She had changed into a simple pink sundress that was strapless and came just to her knees. He loved that dress.

"Yeah well not exactly normal. You didn't finish the lawn and I didn't finish the laundry but that's okay. The boys have clothes for school tomorrow and I'll just finish up tomorrow morning." She turned her head slightly to Jason and he grinned at her then placed another kiss on her shoulder again. His arms came up around her midsection and he squeezed her tightly to him.

"I never thought I'd see the day when Jason Morgan would become so...domestic."

"It's Jason Johnson." Maxie reminded her with a hint of aggravation.

All day they had corrected her. Confusion really set in when she said something in front of Cameron prompting the intuitive little boy to start asking questions.

"Listen Robin...it's really important that you keep to our cover story. We don't like to lie to the boys and we've found that the more time passes, they've forgotten their past." Jason ground out through gritted teeth.

"Boy that must be really hard on you Maxie." Robin laughed.

"What is?" Maxie asked.

"Not lying. To boys especially. I didn't think you had it in you. Of course the boys forgetting their past helps huh?" Robin retorted and Jason cringed when he felt Maxie become stiff in his arms.

"I...I've changed Robin."

"That much is obvious but Maxie it's just a matter of time."

"What's just a matter of time?" Maxie pulled from Jason's arms and moved down the couch away from him. "You don't know...you haven't been around."

"No I haven't but I know you Maxie. You'll only be able to keep up this charade of being the good girl that does laundry and cooks Jason's favorite meals and corrects the boys grammar. Suzy Homemaker you aren't. You're MO is more like Maxie Homewrecker."

"Okay…before this gets out of control. Robin…Maxie and I are in love. I guess Mac told you all about it when he got home from his visit last November. And he approved. Once he saw how _**this**_ family runs, how could he not? I love your cousin and it's obvious you don't approve but we aren't asking for it." Then he looked at Maxie's wide eyes and he saw her visibly cringe when he told her cousin that they didn't care what she thought. "But Maxie and you are family and your opinion IS important to her."

"Well in my opinion, this whole set up is ridiculous. If you weren't stuck together, you would have never even given Maxie a forward glance."

Jason started to speak but was cut off by Maxie who squared her shoulders and sat up straighter. "Robin, I admire you a lot. I have since I was little. But this…this isn't you Robin. You were the one who asked Jason to take me with him. You wanted me safe."

"Yeah but I don't want you tearing apart Jason and the boys lives in the process. You're destructive Maxie. Jason's been hurt enough and those boys…they lost their mother. You can't be Maxie Jones World Terror and expect them to survive it."

"Maxie Webster" Maxie murmured and Jason could tell that all Maxie's strength and bravado had just flown the coop with Robin's scathing blows.

"Maxie Webster…" Robin let out a little chuckle. "Maxie, you're still Maxie. You are a walking relationship disaster. I always knew you had a crush on Jason when he and I were dating but come on Maxie…seriously."

"Robin I don't' understand…" Maxie started but was cut off.

"Maxie I have always stuck up for you, even when you did the craziest things.

"Hold on Robin. Maxie adores you. She…"

"Maxie adores Maxie and she always will. And I'm not going to sit here and pretend that this…fling is okay or that it will end up as anything other than the train wreck it will become."

"Where do you get off…" Jason again was interrupted.

"I'm not the one that was walking around with a pillow under my shirt pretending it was a baby for months and then pretending to have a miscarriage. I mean…Elizabeth must be rolling over in her grave knowing that Maxie is raising her children and sleeping with the man that _**should**_ have been with _**her**_ all those years."

"Robin" Jason's tone was warning.

"I mean…what did she do to trick you into bed? Pills? Bribery? Alcohol?"

Jason stood towering over Robin, anger rolling off of him in waves. "Robin, YOU don't get to come here, to our home, and talk to Maxie that way. YOU don't get to judge. Why would you come here if all you wanted to do was tear your cousin to shreds?"

"Really Jason? I don't get to judge? I was the first woman you ever loved. I've known Maxie all of her life. I know how you are and I know how she is. I was the one that set the groundwork for my cousin to set her stakes on you and your money. I know how she thinks Jason and I know how you don't stand up for yourself and let people walk all over you until it's too late and you're broken beyond repair. And Elizabeth was my best friend after Emily died."

Robin had stood herself and was poking at her own chest while spitting her venom. "Let me guess…Maxie made demands for her _successful_ boutique. And you paid every dime to give her what she wanted so that she would be happy because you don't care about money. Am I close?"

Nothing was said so she continued, "And this house…well actually, I'm a little confused about it. I could see Maxie trying to convince you into buying a mansion on the ocean but I would bet my paycheck that everything in the house is top of the line, special ordered or hand made. Nothing but the best for my little cousin. Of course with someone else's credit card."

Maxie's barely audible voice came from behind Jason. "This is not you, Robin. You would not say those things about me. I think…I think something must be wrong with your own life and you need help."

Maxie ran for the house, tears streaming down her face. Jason turned after watching Maxie's retreat. All the work he'd done over the past few months. Then their talk last week that lasted nearly all night long. All the convincing he'd done. All the walls he'd torn down in the last week.

Ruined.

He would never hit a woman and he would never tell someone else how they should feel. He may not like it but peoples emotions and people's opinions were their own. And they had a right to them. He'd always felt that way and always _tried_ to live by that motto.

But hitting Robin Scorpio-Drake square in that big smug mouth of hers flashed through his mind.

He never cared what others thought of him. Never cared if he was appropriate or accepted. He'd lived his whole life...well his whole life since waking up from his coma, fighting for his right to be and do and say whatever he wanted. And he'd fielded quite a few mean spirited blows in his life.

Somehow he was never good enough for the ones he loved. Never refined enough or never having the appropriate clothes or job or friends. And this woman in front of him was the one who taught him, along with Sonny, that it was okay.

That he didn't have to be what others wanted him to be. He could be who he wanted, do what he wanted, live how he wanted.

But he had known for years now that Robin only meant if it fell within her parameters. And apparently being in love and spending his life with her cousin didn't fall within her parameters.

He looked at her with nothing but scorn. How could she tear her cousin down so easily. Especially when she'd just shown up. And how did she really find them. Sure, she may have found the boutique on the internet but that didn't explain how she'd shown up at their house.

Suddenly his stomach clenched. The hair on the back of his neck stood up and the intuition that had kept him alive for so many years started posing questions. But the one he would ask came out laced with scorn.

Anger even.

He narrowed his eyes into slits and balled up his fists against his thighs.

"Robin, why exactly are you here?"

"I came to see for myself what Bobbie and Mac were talking about. You two are walking around with blinders on."

"Robin I don't care what you think. What I do care about is that Maxie is in there" He pointed toward the door as he loomed over the tiny brunette. "And she's crying her eyes out because you are being cruel. Your words were mean and spiteful and I want to know why. She doesn't deserve this. She idolizes you and you just confirmed all of her fears. All of the fears I have been working so hard to help her get past."

"But"

"NO!!!" he boomed finally letting the anger he felt inside bubble to the surface. "No buts Robin. You don't get to come here and tear apart the relationship Maxie and I have just because you were curious and then decided you know what's best. YOU DON'T KNOW! Maxie and I are...we're happy and she is not a train wreck. She makes me and the boys happier than we've been in a really long time. This family doesn't work without her. Now you can have an opinion. Everyone has that right. But I have rights too. And I have the right to keep you from ruining what I've built here. Now tell me why you really came and then you can do one of two things. You can go in there and apologize to your cousin or you can leave."

Robin was shocked. Jason had never stood up to her that way. Sure they had fought. The worst when she told AJ about Michael but this was different. This was as if Jason was pleading and fighting for his life. She looked him in the eye and could see the anger on the surface but could also see the fear.

It was unimaginable that Maxie had fooled him so badly that he thought she was what he and the boys needed. She knew better.

Stepping back she shrugged her shoulders. "If you want me to leave, I guess I'll go. I'm not going to apologize to Maxie for telling her the truth. She's going to break your heart Jason. She doesn't know how NOT to." She shook her head and walked across the patio to look up at the moon that was full and brightly shining. "I love my cousin Jason but I'm not wrong. She's not Mommy and Wife material. She's the _other woman_. It's just the way it is."

"You're wrong. You don't know Maxie. Not for the past two years. She's grown up. I've seen it. I've watched it. And you saw her with the boys, especially Jake. Robin, she's changed."'

"No one changes that much." Robin replied over her shoulder.

"You have." Jason murmured under his breath but she heard it and let out a frustrated sigh.

Jason walked up beside her facing the moon and mimicking her stance with legs spread and arms folded across his chest. "Why are you here?" He asked again knowing there was more than just a trip down south to tear Maxie apart.

"You know me so well." she smiled looking up at him but then looking back when she saw the visible disgust he held for her. "I came to talk to you. Can we sit down?"

He nodded quickly and then turned and motioned with his arm where she could sit. Following her he sat on the opposite end of the couch and turned his body toward her lifting his leg slightly on the middle cushion.

"Talk" He said when after a few moments she still hadn't spoken. "Then you can leave because no one who treats Maxie the way you did is sleeping under my roof."

"Fine, I guess I had a premonition when I made the hotel reservation and never brought my bag in from the car." Before Jason could make a comment she trudged on. "Like I said before, Bobbie and I were talking. We were talking about you and the boys and Maxie and we talked a lot about her and Mac's trip down here at Thanksgiving."

"Yeah we had a nice time." Jason interjected.

"That's what Bobbie said and that's what confused me."

"Why?"

"Because I know Bobbie and Mac must have left out a lot about the happenings of Port Charles."

"We talked about Port Charles but not when the kids were around."

"Oh you may have talked about how Kelly's burned down and when they rebuilt it, Luke made it exactly the same down to the horrible red and white checkered curtains in the window. Or that Mayor Floyd was caught with his pants down at the Metro Court when his mistress died in a mysterious _showering_ accident. Bobbie and Mac may have told you that Sam McCall opened a Private Eye agency and you may have talked about how the hospital was completely renovated. Did they mention that Luke and Holly have a son that Luke never knew about? It doesn't matter. None of that matters however I know neither of them told you what _**really**_ is going on in Port Charles."

"And you're here to tell me?" Jason asked. He hadn't known about Mayor Floyd but he and Sonny had used his indiscretions for years to keep him in line. And Luke having an illegitimate son? Well hell, that's probably not the only one. Sam having a PI agency was a laugh but she was no longer his problem.

Robin sighed again. This was going to be hard on Jason which is why she was glad she was the one giving him the news. She would be able to help him. Just like she did years ago.

"Jason...there's no real easy way to tell you this so I'm just going to say it. Claudia Zacharra was let out of jail on a technicality about eight months ago. Apparently Lucky didn't read her her Miranda Rights directly from the card so her lawyer had all her charges dropped."

"So Lucky screwed up. That's no surprise. And Claudia Zacharra is running free. She's a loose cannon but some other rival family will probably put her out of Port Charles' misery soon."

"Jason that's not all." She hesitated and Jason leaned up noticing her hesitation and prompted her.

"Just come out with it."

"She's the one who ordered the hit on Sonny that got Michael shot."

Jason sucked in air into his lungs. He hadn't expected that. It felt like a punch to the gut. He hadn't forgotten about Michael but the mention of his name hadn't crossed his mind in a while. Well his life as a normal child. He hadn't thought about Michael in that hospital in a coma for a while and suddenly the guilt of his part in all of it consumed him.

"How?" he didn't have words but she knew what he was asking.

"It came out in discovery while the state was building the case but then she got off on a technicality and there was no hard evidence. But that's not all."

"It's NOT?" Jason's eyes grew wide. What more could there be?

"Michael...Patrick...umm...Carly..." She wasn't sure where to start.

"What about them Robin?"

"Carly and Jax were researching new innovations in head trauma and the specific conditions regarding Michael's coma. They found this experimental procedure and authorized Patrick to perform the surgery. We weren't real hopeful at first. He didn't really react to the surgery but...Jason...Michael woke up."

"HE WHAT?" Jason stood and moved across the patio. He grabbed onto the stainless steel handlebar of the grill to hold him up. Suddenly his legs felt weak.

Robin quickly followed him and instinctively started rubbing circles in his back with her fingernails. Something she always used to do with him when he was stressed or upset. Jason turned to face her and she saw tears in his eyes forming.

"Jason, Michael is alive and awake and walking and talking and...trashing rooms and lashing out at Carly and Jax..." she laughed a little and shook her head, looking down. Then she lifted her chin back up and saw the tears streaming down his face steadily now. "He reminds me so much of you."

"Does..." he swallowed thickly, "does he remember?"

She cut him off quickly knowing what he was thinking. "He remembers everything. He was really upset that you weren't there. He asked for you more than he asked for Sonny."

"Sonny" Jason wiped at his tears and shoved his hands in his pockets. "How is he?"

"He's...well...he's as good as can be expected. He's so claustrophobic but he can't be kept in the open. There have already been a few attempts on his life at Pentonville so Uncle Mac has had a few of the old offices at the station renovated. They are his new jail cell. It's a larger room. I asked Uncle Mac for that special favor. And Lainey comes by to talk to him once or twice a week. He's still on his meds so his bipolar disorder is controlled but...since Michael woke up he's been going off a little more because they won't let them see each other."

"Oh...well...He shouldn't be around the kids anyway. That's how Michael..." he couldn't finish the sentence. He still took all the blame for that. Had he never let Carly and Michael be a part of his life, a part of his world, Sonny would have never met them.

Jason sat for a long time in silence. Robin let him process what she'd told him. She skipped the other revelations that Mike Corbin had been killed and there was a new woman running around town that looked exactly like his dead sister, Emily. That he could find out on his own.

And he would.

And she knew it.

And that was what she was betting on.

"Well, I'm going to go. I have a hotel room at the Hilton near the airport. Room twelve o five. Oh and Jason...tell Maxie I'll be here till Wednesday. I may not agree with your relationship but she's still my little cousin and I love her dearly."

She patted him on the leg then got up and pulled her keys to her rental car from her pocket. She leaned down and placed a kiss on his cheek and patted his knee then turned and walked away without a word.

~%~%~%~%~%~%~

Maxie had been in bed curled into a ball. When she ran into the house she had gone to the kitchen. She heard Jason yelling at Robin but he never came in to check on her. She went to their room and washed her face, tears still flowing. She pulled one of his t-shirts on instinctively. They always helped her feel closer to him.

About thirty minutes later she heard Robin's car pull away and she went to the window to verify it was indeed her leaving. Still Jason didn't come in. Finally twenty minutes after that she heard the sliding glass door open and close then heard Jason milling around in the kitchen.

Her heart sunk. Obviously whatever she and Jason talked about had turned Jason against her. Maxie's world was crashing around her, just like she expected but still the pain of knowing it was happening was unbearable.

She held her breath when he finally came into the room. He went to the bathroom, brushed his teeth and came out in his sleep shorts. Instead of climbing into bed with her, he sat on the very edge.

"I know you're awake." He said softly.

Maxie rolled onto her back and slapped her hands down to her side over the covers. Fresh tears threatened to fall but she held her tongue and the tears at bay. _This is it._ She thought. _It's over._

"Maxie, I can't explain everything to you. Maybe when I get back. I'm...I'm going to take some time off of work. A leave of absence. I'll be gone for a while. I don't know how long. It could be days, it could be a few weeks. There's something I need to do. I need you to take care of the boys for me until I get back."

Then without further explanation, Jason stood and walked out of the room quietly shutting the door behind him.

Maxie rolled onto her stomach and cried herself to sleep.


	19. Chapter 18

A/N: Although no one has called me on my faux pas, in the last chapter I made it seem that no one knew Claudia was the one that hired the hit on Sonny. Yet in chapter 1 I clearly stated it. So there will be a little blurb in this chapter to atone for my mistake. Enjoy. Oh and I already disclaimed this story in the last chapter. If you need to read again, see chapter 17. ;-) PS: For Heather…sorry no smut but I'm fixing, I'm fixing. Hope you are feeling better.

**Chapter 18**

Jason always knew keeping a few of his old alternate identities would be beneficial. Back when Stan was working for him, what seemed like eons ago, he had no less than fifteen different identities set up with bank accounts in various cities in case he ever had to escape for a while. Stan would create whole lives in the different cities with the different social security numbers, addresses and names. The only similarity amongst any of them was that they were blond Caucasians with ice blue eyes nearly six foot tall.

Over the years, the money in the accounts had grown and stocks, bonds and CD's had matured as well. He had considered pulling all the money in when he and Maxie took off with the boys but he didn't want Spinelli to know about the other identities. He let them sit and kept the ID's and the credit cards and passports locked away where no one else would know. He felt guilty keeping the information from Spinelli but knew that if he ever _really_ had to get lost forever, not a soul could know. Not even his most trusted friend.

So he booked a flight to Albany in the name of Presley Blue. He rolled his eyes at the names Stan gave him, always some similarity to either Elvis, Metallica or The Jackson Five. He could have booked under Michael M Towns or Lars Drummand. He was so obvious it was perfect. Lars the drum man and Michael of Motown or Elvis' blues or maybe it was Blue Hawaii. He and Stan both loved that movie. They loved all of Elvis' movies.

Mostly for the hot chicks.

Once his flight was booked he wrote down some information, lists and things people needed to know in the event of his demise. First he wrote the combination to the locks he had around the house. Always the same, zero four zero seven zero eight. The day he proposed to Elizabeth. He had considered changing the numbers a few months ago. It would really hurt Maxie to know what the numbers meant. But then, she didn't know. No one knew that he proposed to Elizabeth on that day. Even Spinelli. Spinelli knew he proposed to her but didn't know what day, only that it happened around the time of Michael's shooting.

Michael.

What would he do when he got to Port Charles? Should he go see Michael? Could he stay away from him? He knew what he had to do and he knew what he WOULD do but Michael was a mystery.

And it could do more harm than good to let Michael see him. He could not risk being caught. He couldn't risk anything that wouldn't bring him home to Maxie and the boys. He loved his life and would never give it up.

But he had an obligation to his old life and he had to follow through with a promise he made to a little boy in a coma in a hospital bed a long time ago.

He pulled out a clean piece of paper and started writing.

_Princess,_

_To say I love you does not begin to tell you how I feel..._

~%~%~%~%~%~

When Maxie woke up, the first thing she noticed was how empty their bed felt. It had only been a few months but Jason, his scent, his presence, his peace had completely engulfed her life. She instantly felt the chill of not feeling his arms around her or seeing the fresh latte sitting on her bedside table.

If she wasn't fully aware of yesterday's events, she would have thought he was just out doing his morning jog and got held up. She always woke up after him and when her latte wasn't waiting for her, he was usually just running late jogging. But he wasn't there. She didn't need to check the garage for his old duffel bag or test the weight of the strong box to know that Jason, his duffel bag and his guns were gone.

Last night as she cried herself to sleep she realized. Jason had said he couldn't tell her why he was leaving. He said he _couldn't_ explain and that there was something he needed to do. She remembered those words would come from his mouth all the time when they lived in Port Charles and she was at the penthouse with Spinelli. He would run down the stairs, say a bunch of cryptic, vague things to Spinelli and grab his guns and leave. Then Spinelli would mutter some crazy Spinelli speak that would tell her all she needed to know.

He was going on a mission.

The realization of that healed and hurt her at the same time.

He wasn't leaving because of her. He loved her and they were still...them. But he WAS leaving his family behind to venture back into his old life and his old ways and for what?

What could be more important than her and the boys?

If it was Spinelli that was in trouble, he would have told her because he _has_ to know that's the first phone call she was going to place.

Whatever Robin told him while they were talking out back was the reason why her cousin came here. And whatever it was, Jason took off immediately.

Sitting up in bed, Maxie tapped her perfectly manicured nail, done in a pretty spring pink with rhinestone daisy's on the pinkies. She needed to find out what or who he was going after. And her first call would be to Mac.

After she brushed her teeth and fixed a latte.

~%~%~%~%~%~

"What are you doing here today?"

"I'm dropping off Jake. It's Monday." Maxie replied to Sally curious as to why the daycare owner would wonder what she and Jake were doing there.

"Yeah but...well...Danny was working the third shift last night and ran into Jason. He said he had a family emergency and had to leave town for a little while. I just assumed..." The woman trailed off not understanding why if Jason had an emergency and was leaving town he wouldn't have taken Maxie and the boys with him.

"Oh yeah _that_. Well Cam's got a few more weeks of school and I have the boutique. Besides, it's just..." Maxie stopped herself from explaining.

If she said that Jason's father had a heart attack and Jason had told them his father was dead then they'd know she was lying...or think that Jason had lied before. And to come up with any other lie, he could have told a different story already.

Of course knowing Jason, he didn't lie. He just omitted the truth or skirted the truth so she backed up his vague explanation. "Yeah, he needed to tend to a family emergency but there was no reason for me and the boys to go. We decided it would be best if Cam and Jake and I stayed here."

There, that sounded both plausible and gave them nothing. Jason would be so proud of her.

"Well, whatever it is, I hope everything is okay. Danny said Jason looked pretty upset when he ran into him. We just assumed maybe someone had died or was going to die." The woman saw Maxie flinch and immediately placed her hand on Maxie's arm. "I'm sorry. I didn't say that right. I just hope everyone you love is okay."

"Yeah, me too." Maxie said pulling from her grasp and blowing Jake a kiss across the room when he turned to wave goodbye to her after hanging up his backpack on the hook with his name printed above it on the far wall.

She turned and left without another word.

~%~%~%~%~%~

Jason wondered if Maxie had found his note yet. He was driving from Albany in a rented car and couldn't stop thinking about Maxie. Her crying echoed through his brain as he replayed the night before.

He hated leaving her like that. She had to be confused and hurt. But he had no choice. Hopefully she would realize that he loved her. He had told her as much before he left but she was asleep, finally. The pillow under her head soaked with her tears.

He wanted to crawl into the bed and make love to her, show her how he felt about her, but his flight wouldn't allow even twenty minutes more of him staying there. He watched her breathe for a few moments and then hid the letter where only she would find it.

Suddenly as he drove around the winding cliff roads a thought occurred to him. What if she didn't find it? What if she was so mad at him that she didn't want to go somewhere or do something that was special to only the two of them?

He should have just left it on his pillow where she'd find it as soon as she woke up. But that would probably have caused her to simply shred the letter without opening it. Maxie's immediate reactions were always over the top and impulsive.

Of course she had been working on that aspect and was doing much better. But this situation was different.

And Robin putting all of the doubts in her head earlier that night didn't help. "Surely she knows Robin can't change my mind about her, doesn't she?" He looked at himself in the rearview mirror and could see the doubt cross his face.

He'd get to Port Charles, find a place to hide out while he gathered the information he needed and then buy a prepaid phone and call her. He couldn't tell her where he was or what he was doing but he could call her and tell her how much he loved her. But that could be risky. No contact was best.

He let out a long sigh. She just HAD to know how much he loved her.

"Please find the letter." He whispered to no one.

~%~%~%~%~%~

"Cameron I'm not going to tell you again. Get your butt in that chair and eat your damn dinner!"

"Ooooohhhh...you gotta put a toy in the swear box Maxie." Jake piped in from his seat at the table.

Maxie just glared at Jacob and the little boy ducked his head and quickly took a bite of his chicken.

Her whole day had been a disaster and it was all Jason's fault.

She called her father but he didn't answer his phone. She left a vague voice mail saying she just wanted to hear a friendly voice and that she'd call him next week. Then she broke her nail finishing up the laundry that she didn't get done the day before. Her next adventure was with the lawn mower. Jason hadn't finished the yard and with the way the grass had been growing, it would be impossible to cut after two weeks of growth.

Luckily Robbie came to her rescue on that one. He was over at his grandparents using his grandfather's table saw and watched Maxie fighting with the lawn mower.

Honestly, did they have to make them so difficult just to turn on? You can push a button to start a car but for a simple lawn mower, you had to hold down a handle and pull a cord and pump a little black button six times. Not seven and not five, six.

Robbie took pity on her and started it. Then when he saw that the mower was practically as big and heavy as her, he pushed her gently to the side and mowed the rest of the lawn for her. He even did the little diamond patterns that Maxie loved so much that Jason always did.

Jake got sick at daycare and she picked him up early and then when they went to get Cameron, the teacher said that he hit another boy at recess. Maxie brought him home and sent him to his room. Even though after the explanation that the other kid called him a 'nerd' raised the hairs on her own neck, she explained that words don't hurt and he was never to hit someone unless he was defending himself or someone smaller, like a girl or his little brother.

The conversation reminded her of the time she had hurt Spinelli with those same words but she was the adult and Jason didn't want his boys fighting so she did what she'd seen Jason do with Jake when Jake hit Monte O'Rourke at the park one day. Even if her first instinct was to high five Cameron and tell him to beat the hell out of the kid next time.

And that was why Cameron Alexander Webster was being so stubborn. She called him from his room to eat dinner and he promptly went to the couch and started watching TV. She demanded a few times he turn off the TV and eat but Cameron continued to ignore her.

If that was the way he wanted to play it, then fine.

Maxie stood from the table, picked up Cameron's plate of macaroni and cheese, peas and a chicken leg and placed it on the counter. Then she went to the TV and unplugged the power cord to the cable box and pointed, silently, toward the hall and Cameron's room.

Luckily he went without argument and she couldn't help but smirk when he stuck his tongue out at her while he walked by. It was exactly what she would have done. Again, she couldn't fault him for that and maybe that was why he was so mad at her.

He had very similar habits and maybe the boy knew she was punishing him for something she knows she would have done herself.

~%~%~%~%~%~

Jason hid in the bushes and watched as a noticeably pregnant Carly and Morgan strolled out of the house. They were all smiling and laughing. Then a tall, lanky boy with blonde hair and unmistakeable blue eyes, Lila's eyes, confronted them on the front porch.

It took all of his willpower to stay hidden.

Michael immediately yelled at his mother, accusing her of following him to his therapy and refused to believe that they were just leaving the house and hadn't been anywhere but home all day. He told her that he hated her and hated living there and hated the way everyone acted around him.

It was déjà vu for Jason.

He watched as Michael stormed off once a young brunette walked up. Jason thought he heard Carly call her Kristina but surely that young woman could NOT be the little girl that he knew so long ago.

Finally it was confirmed that the sixteen year old he saw was Kristina when Jax pulled up in his Jaguar and yelled to the girl driving away with Michael in the passenger seat to tell Alexis he said hello.

Realizing he needed to get out of there and not knowing where Michael and Kristina would be heading, he took a chance that they would go to Kristina's house and hoped Alexis still lived on the lake. He doubled back through the woods between the Jacks property and their neighbors toward the car he left on the next street.

Rounding the corner of the lake house, Jason watched as Alexis unlocked the door to her house, briefcase in hand and reached back pull the mail from the box. She called out for Molly and then Kristina and then exclaimed in shock.

Jason's instinct was to go to her. Someone was in her house and that startled her. She was under Sonny's protection and by extension, his, because she was the mother of Sonny's child. She still had ties to the mob no matter where the father's of her two children were. She and her girls would always be somewhat of a target. Especially if other mob bosses were trying to send messages to Sonny or Ric.

Especially Ric.

Jason had been keeping up with the trials sporadically on the internet although he had missed the part where Claudia was released. She had not been associated with Sonny's trial anyway. But Ric was. He was the lead witness and speculation was that Ric's turning states evidence would clear him of any of his wrong doing and afford him a full pardon for his involvement with the Zacharra Crime Family and he would be squired off to the Witness Protection Program.

If the FBI was smart, they would put several states between Jason Morgan and Ric Lansing.

No one could get to Sonny. Mac had assured him of that when he visited at Thanksgiving. But Ric…well who knew where Ric was. And as much as Jason knew that the FBI would do anything to keep their star witness out of harms way, Jason prayed someone would get him since he could no longer do it himself.

Just the thought of getting his hands on Ric Lansing made his mouth water. For years, ever since he locked Carly in the panic room when she was pregnant and hurt Courtney, he'd wanted to take his hands and wrap them around the little weasel's neck.

But the two brother's families were sitting targets. Carly was protected he knew. Jax would have a team of security to ensure Carly's and the boys' safety. And Max and Milo would never fully leave their charges. Max especially. He'd been there since Morgan's birth. But Alexis always shrugged security. She always stood offended that the underworld's criminal element would be better able to protect her when she was the District Attorney set out to eliminate said criminals from the streets of Port Charles.

Jason's thoughts were derailed when it was Sam that appeared at the door with her mother. She looked the same. Maybe a little thinner but the same. Her hair was longer and her skin darker. She was still a beautiful woman.

But Jason smiled realizing that he had absolutely no residual feelings for her.

She had done too much. Hurt too many people he loved. Sure she had made every attempt to make amends and after her help when Jake was kidnapped by the Russians, he worked to forgive her. But he could never forget.

She cost him too dearly. Even if being with Elizabeth would have only been a fleeting moment in time, Samantha McCall was instrumental in ensuring he never realized that dream. And THAT was what he could never forgive.

~%~%~%~%~%~

Day three and Maxie had not heard from Jason. She never tried his phone because he left them both sitting on the kitchen counter. No note, no goodbye. Just his wallet and his cell phone from the FBI and his personal cell phone. Jason Johnson's cell phone.

It was his way of telling her she wouldn't find him if she tried. So she didn't.

Mac had called her but she missed the call because she was busy with a difficult customer at the boutique. Honestly, some people think they are God's Gift to the world. And Julia Peyton-Wainwright sure did seem to think she was God's Gift.

Unfortunately she spent lots of her alimony in Georgie's Boutique so Maxie pasted on a smile and put up with her bullshit. Besides, Julia would never admit it, but it burned her ass that Maxie got the guy. Julia was always so obvious how she would throw herself at Jason. And she nearly caught him one night.

But Jason turned her down flat. Sent her home without so much as a 'see ya later'.

Jason had told her, only because she bugged him until he finally relented, that Julia practically attacked him at their house but aside from some harmless kissing, she never even got to see him with his shirt off and because she was so obvious, he quickly lost the desire to even try to get intimate with the shameless hussy.

That was Maxie new nickname for her. _Shameless Hussy._ It even was in the boutiques computer system. Sure the invoices or receipts would print out Julia Peyton-Wainwright but when Jason did the books, he'd see that Shameless Hussy had bought five hundred dollars worth of purses or shoes.

However, Julia had unknowingly just given her some valuable information. As the Banquet Manager of the Tampa Airport Hilton Hotel, Julia had asked if she was enjoying her time while her cousin was in town. When Maxie asked, she explained that Robin had asked her how to get to Georgie's Boutique and when Julia mentioned she knew the owner and to be sure to mention her, Robin explained she was her cousin and was in town to surprise her. Julia promptly gave her directions to their house in Largo but was surprised the next day to see Robin eating breakfast in the revolving restaurant at the top of the hotel. Then she looked down her nose and asked why her cousin was staying in a hotel instead of staying with her, Jason and the boys. Then she had the nerve to intimate that Maxie wouldn't allow another woman in her home around her man.

Maxie just rolled her eyes. Normally that would have been all she needed to jump feet first into a fight along with a plot to embarrass the woman in public. Called her out as the tramp that she was or announce how she certainly didn't have to run HER out of their home because Jason had done that of his own free will.

But she didn't. Not so much because she was a customer, more because now she was on a different mission.

"Brittany, you're on your own. I probably won't be back today. Lock up for me and make sure you call Mrs. Friedman and let her know her fitting for the cocktail dress is scheduled for next Tuesday and Dr Friedman's Marc Jacobs tux is in. Then print out the list of girls who bought prom dresses. I'll get the boys to make up the tickets with their names on it so we can pull them from the bowl at Prom Friday night." She turned and looked at the beautiful young woman who worked for her. She had really morphed, with Maxie's help over the past year, and Maxie couldn't help but be proud of her accomplishment. The soon-to-be high school graduate was the all American girl.

She had died her hair a honey blonde, very similar to Maxie's. She even was using Maxie's hair dresser. It was cut into a cute bob that was long enough to wear up or down. The highlights looked sun kissed and her skin gave a soft golden glow. Her new contacts made her eyes a brilliant green and the braces had finally been removed so her teeth were perfect. She would no doubt be the prettiest girl at prom in her new Vera Wang gown. A graduation gift from Maxie, Jason and the boys.

"Okay Maxie. Is everything okay?" The girl asked knowing it was most definitely unlike Maxie to leave early on a Wednesday. Usually that was her night to work until at least five and usually closing at seven thirty getting ready for the next day's stock order.

"Everything's fine. Oh, did you have Joey give my name to the limo company? The owner owes me a favor and you may as well collect it for me. You shouldn't have to pay for any more than an hour's rental and have the car all night."

"Joey said the woman not only gave us a huge discount on the cost but upgraded us. We're going in the Hummer." Brittany bounced and clapped and Maxie smiled as she logged off of the computer and grabbed her Luis Vuitton city bag.

"Good, take care. I'll see you tomorrow." She yelled over her shoulder as she walked out the door headed for her new Camaro.

She was on a mission. She had questions and needed answers.

And now…she knew where to find them.

~%~%~%~%~%~

Jason had been tracking Claudia for two days now. The woman had moved back into her family's home in Crimson Point. Johnny was there too. It appeared Johnny was running a faction of his fathers Mafia Organization right under the noses of the FBI with Luke's help but with the reappearance of his sister, he was having trouble.

It always amazed Jason how hard it was for the PCPD and the Fed's to gather information but yet it always seemed to come to him so easily. A vague phone call, a jacked up underboss caught buying drugs or a prostitute that didn't care what she had to do or say as long as she got paid for her time.

And the stupid men, like Lucky, who's own father was involved, spent his day wire tapping phones that the mafia knew were tapped or digging through garbage dumps that had nothing stashed in them but spoiled food and old newspapers.

Johnny had been doing fine running the gambling casino boat with Luke and laundering money from his shipments of guns into Pier 23 which he had disguised as a U-Stor-It facility. One quick pick of the lock and a quick and covert tour through the warehouse showed he was running guns. But now he was having trouble. Crystal offered that information. Apparently she was the regular girl who worked the pier and the Port Captain used her services regularly. He had told her recently that the 'boss' was having troubles with the Fed's snooping around lately. And it was because his sister was out.

Claudia Zacharra always wanted the business, wanted to be in the business and wanted to be respected and in charge but rarely handled any job well. Hits were missed, too many people let in on deals. Too many decisions made off the cuff and not thought through and she ruled with her emotions.

Something you cannot do and be successful in the mob.

It was the one thing that always got Sonny in trouble and one of the main reasons Jason gave up trying to have a life and a family while he was in it. Emotions and Mafia dealings were like oil and water.

Again why Jason was so successful and respected in the industry. He was feared. He was strong. He was fair. He was logical. He was NOT emotional.

As Maxie explained to him long ago, he was emotionless.

At least Jason Morgan was.

Now he was sitting in a car across from Kelly's Diner, watching Claudia and some man he couldn't see in the side alley talking. More like arguing from his point of view.

She was the reason he was there. He always knew that Claudia was involved in Michael's shooting. But she was in custody and there was no way to get to her. Yet he had promised Michael and himself, not to mention Sonny and Carly, that he would make the persons involved pay. Ian Devlin was the first one and he killed that man without even spending the night in jail. But the trail had ended there until Anthony Zacharra outed his daughter's involvement. But he did so while they were at the PCPD and Mac immediately put Claudia in custody and not long after Jason had Maxie and the boys and was off to start a new life.

One that he loved and would never give up.

However, when Robin told him that the woman responsible for Michael's years long coma was walking free, he couldn't let it be. He made promises. And this promise he intended to keep.

He pulled his binoculars out to take a closer look. Before he pulled his binoculars to cover his eyes, he watched Michael, Carly and Morgan walk across the street. Kristina ran up to Michael and another little girl with chocolate ringlets was running behind her.

_That must be Molly. _He thought as he watched the two little girls interact with his nephew and his Godson.

He was amazed to see Michael walking and talking and laughing. He was more amazed at how everyone had changed. Carly looked to be in her eighth or ninth month of pregnancy and Kristina was now driving. Morgan was a tall gawky pre-teen with braces and Molly was the same. Actually Molly looked like that little girl on TV that Cameron and Junior were _in love_ with. Carly from iCarly. The boys never missed an episode.

Carly.

Jason had debated over the course of the three days he'd been lurking unnoticed around Port Charles whether he should go see Carly and the boys. He wanted to see Carly just to hear her voice and let her know he was okay and hopefully learn she was too. He trusted her with his life and knew she would always have his back no matter what. If he said no one could know he was there, she'd die before saying anything.

He wanted to talk to Michael too. Tell him how glad he was that his life was back and that he was sorry for his role in causing him to nearly lose it. And he wanted to tell Morgan how lucky he was to have a mother and a brother like Carly and Michael and that he still loved him and missed the little boy.

But one thing he knew by day two. His intrusion in their lives right now wouldn't be for the better. They were happy, they were wholesome and they were living a good life. Jason dropping in would only open up old wounds and possibly cause Michael even more anger and frustration

Yes, Robin was right. The boy was angry. He'd seen him take it out on his mother twice already. And one guy who looked to be his same age that Kristina was hanging around. Michael really nailed that kid. Jason felt damn right proud when he saw the guy take three shots to the face before he even knew what hit him.

Jason had always told Michael that the element of surprise was his greatest weapon.

Nope he couldn't interfere with their life. Not now.

Movement in the corner of his eye caused him to look to his right. Someone, he couldn't tell who yet, was moving in to take pictures of Claudia and her male associate in the alley.

Apparently Claudia was still under surveillance. But by whom?

Sensing that there were way too many people on the block that could recognize him, he started the car and pulled away.

Next stop…The Quatermaine Mansion.

~%~%~%~%~%~

Hotels were _so _easy. There was really no privacy if you just knew the right questions to ask and the right people to ask them of. You didn't even have to pay for the information. Just bat your eyes and flirt a little and bellhops were like putty in your hands. And room service attendants. And waiters. And…

It took her only five minutes and two men to get the hotel room number.

Now, standing in front of twelve o five, the brass plate was glaring at her. All of a sudden her insecurities crept in and ridiculous notions and scenarios popped into her head.

The worst one being…What if Jason was in there?. With Robin.

She shook her head to try to eradicate the thought. But it wouldn't go and now she had a full head of steam while imagining putting her fist up Jason's nose and shaving her cousin bald.

Suddenly the door opened and she was face to face with Robin.

"MAXIE!" Robin exclaimed surprised at the blond pixie's presence at her door. "I didn't know you were coming."

"Why who's here?" However, Maxie stuck her head and shoulders past Robin and looked in the doorway to see if anyone else was in there.

"Who are you looking for?" Robin asked stepping back into the room and rolling her luggage back up against the wall.

"No one" Maxie sing songed as she moved further into the room and continued to look in all corners and behind the door. "Why were you so surprised to see me? I mean you are visiting the town I live in and you haven't called or come back to the house since Sunday."

"I…I didn't think you wanted to see me."

"Well you were right. You were cruel and mean and said some awful things to me."

"I know, I'm sorry. I just…I can't believe…"

"Well believe it. Jason's MINE now." Maxie claimed possession with bravado. "Of course you had another agenda to come see us now didn't you."

"What do you mean Maxie?"

"You know very well what I mean. Honestly Robin, trying to play dumb doesn't suit you. It'd be like me trying to play a virgin. Just doesn't fit your MO. Now where's Jason? What did you tell him and why did he take off in the middle of the night without a word?"

"Jason left?"

"OH don't act like you didn't know." Maxie scoffed as she finished her search of the room and determined that not only was Jason not there now but he hadn't been there at all.

Just certain tell tale signs you notice when living with a person. Like the fact that the toilet paper roll was pulling from the under side. It was a pet peeve of Jason's. The roll should always pull over top. And no matter where he was, he would correct it.

Also, there were toothpaste remnants in the sink. Jason hated that. And the ice bucket was empty. Jason always made sure the ice was filled to capacity when they were traveling for that year. Although that could have had something to do with the fact that he usually filled an already full ice bucket right after their many, many arguments and was usually counting to ten on his way out the door.

But still…the ice bucket hadn't even been filled once and was still upside down on the little tray with the plastic bag neatly folded next to it.

So Jason wasn't here and he hadn't been here.

But Robin still knew something. Maybe not exactly where he was but she knew _something._

"I don't know where Jason is Maxie and wouldn't that be for Jason to decide to tell you? If he wanted you to know where he was, he would have said. Why, when did he leave? Hasn't he called you?"

Robin's suddenly worried look on her face caused Maxie to panic a little. Her instinct was to say one of the boys was sick or hurt. If Robin knew anything that could possibly clue her in on where Jason took off to, his sick children would make her relent. But she didn't. Jason and his damn moral code and her stupid promise of no more lying.

Besides, it could backfire since Robin was a full fledged doctor and all.

Suddenly she just felt exhausted. She flopped down onto the king sized bed. "Fine, don't tell me. Keep me in the dark just like Jason is. Forget the fact that I'm here and I matter too. Forget that I love him more than I've ever loved anyone in my life and I'm scared and worried and miss him. Forget that I'm your cousin, no matter what you may think of me, I've _always_ had your back…"

By now she was crying but it was genuine. She wasn't putting on the waterworks for show to coerce any information. She truly was just upset and her emotions were getting the best of her.

The past three days had been the worst in over six months.

"You really do love him don't you?" Robin handed her a tissue and she took it, looking at it and crinkling her nose because it was a generic brand that wasn't soft nor did it have the aloe like Jason always bought.

"He's the love of my life." Maxie turned to look up at her cousin. "I've never known what that was until now. I thought Jessie was, and Coop after that. But now…I know I was wrong."

Robin sat down next to her cousin and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. She didn't say anything. She just hugged her.

"Is Patrick the love of your life?"

"I think so." Robin finally spoke. "But I think I've had three because honestly, I think I've lived three lives.

"I don't understand."

"Of course Patrick…and Emma…they are my life and yes, Patrick is the love of my life but…well, with Stone, he was the love of my life too. My life then, before HIV." Maxie nodded remembering when she was little how in love Robin and Stone were. "Then Jason…He was the love of my life when I was learning to live with HIV. He was so supportive and loving and non judgmental. He supported me and didn't shy away from me."

Robin was now lost in her own thoughts. "Didn't I ever tell you and Georgie a long time ago how Jason was the one who found out everything there was to know about HIV when he found out Stone and I had it? Of course he was Jason Quartermaine back then but when he woke up, after his coma, when he was Jason Morgan, he still remembered all of that knowledge. He wasn't afraid to kiss me or hold me or…have sex. I was…I was deathly afraid but not Jason."

Robin stood and moved to the window. Another tell tale sign Jason wasn't there. Open curtains in a hotel room were practically outlawed while they were on the run.

"Then Jason became the guy who fixed things for me. He always made everything better."

"Is that why you're here?"

"No…maybe."

"What does that mean Robin?"

"I don't know…I honestly didn't come here to start trouble or to…"

Suddenly Maxie's phone rang and when she saw the caller ID she could not hit the 'Talk' button fast enough.

"Mac, I'm so glad you called." Maxie's bright bubbly voice and big wide smile faltered when she watched her cousin from across the room waving her arms in silent plea to NOT tell her father that his niece was standing in front of her.


	20. Chapter 19

A/N: I only see two more chapters. We're so close to the end of this story. However, I already see on the horizon, the sequel. There's still so much more story to tell. With that said...on to the story. Oh and** ibb1234**..ask and you shall receive? I was just going back to proof this when you sent the msg. :-)

**Chapter 19**

Sneaking into the back doors, the double French doors he'd come through so many times before, Jason smiled. Most memorably, the time he came through on his brand new motorcycle to stuff his new life, behavior and attitude in his pompous Grandfather's face. Looking around, he noticed first that the room had changed drastically.

Not just aesthetically. Sure the room was different. Colors warmer, shelves held less books and more photographs and memories. The furniture different, more welcoming and comfortable. But the glaring difference was the emptiness and the silence.

When he first woke up so many years ago and finally went home to the Quartermaine mansion, no less than eight people lived in the house. And that didn't count the servants that lived in the servants wing of the house behind the kitchen. Then, of course, Ned lived just at the front of the property at the Gate House.

Now there were only two. Maybe three or four if Tracy was still here and still married to Luke.

He looked around the room and his eye instantly landed on the picture that for so long he hated. Jason Quartermaine and AJ behind their parents. All happy and smiling. Suddenly, he wanted to remember that day. Being a father and loving a woman who treats his children as her own made him realize how truly happy _that_ family in the picture was. Hell, even knowing how much he loved Cameron while sharing no blood bond caused him to smile and turn his head to the picture just above it with him and Monica. A picture taken not long before he left town.

A request he granted her when he came to visit her after her stint in alcohol rehab.

He looked up and saw the painting of Lila, a portrait drawn by Elizabeth when she was still in high school. It was so good and she'd made it just for the family matriarch for Lila's eightieth birthday. Jason fingered the small "EW" in the corner.

"Oh my GOD!" Exclaimed Monica as she covered her mouth with her hand standing in the doorway that led to the foyer.

Surprised at how rusty he was, he turned and ducked his head. "Monica, I'm sorry I scared you."

He shook his head. He was so deep in thought he never even heard his mother coming in the room. He pulled the picture of them off the shelf and moved toward her still form. She was shocked and hadn't moved from her spot at the door.

Once Jason was standing in front of her he pulled the older woman into his arms. Suddenly she started shaking with sobs and wrapped her tiny arms around his waist, her nails making a clicking noise on the barrel of his gun before she quickly moved her hands up and away from it, stiffening when she felt the cold steel at her son's back.

She pulled back and looked up at him with worried eyes. "What are you doing here?"

He turned his head to look away from her. He was never good at lying so he simply would omit the real reason he was in town. "I came to see you. But you cannot tell anyone you saw me."

"Are you in trouble?" She asked moving around him and tugging on his hand to follow her to the couch.

"No, I...I'm fine."

"Are the boys okay?"

"They're wonderful."

"Bobbie said you looked good when she went to visit you." Monica's face took on a sad overtone that Jason couldn't miss, even in the dimly lit room.

"I'm sorry you couldn't have been there." he responded, not knowing what he _should_ say.

"You didn't choose me." She said simply, having long ago given up her hope that one day her youngest son would actually want her in his life as more than a passing pleasantry or for a secret medical need. They'd made their peace and she couldn't fault him that he was happy with the relationship as it stood.

"I couldn't. I didn't want to risk your safety."

"So you said." she sighed. She knew he meant what he said but it still hurt.

"But now, two years later, it's so hard." he hesitated. He didn't really know why he was here or why he was risking anyone knowing he was in town. Yet, as soon as he crossed the city's border, his heart tugged him in several directions. One was here.

"I don't know what you mean." she replied looking up into the brilliant blue of his eyes.

She gasped lightly remembering so many past memories of looking into the eyes of his father and grandmother. When he was a baby and she loathed his presence as the reminder of her husbands infidelity. Then the little boy who took to her at the loss of his own mother and learned quickly how to tug at her heartstrings. The time that he and AJ found them in the attic where they had been trapped only to find out that the boys would sneak away to play there often. Then the little boy she and Alan sent off to boarding school with his older brother. A happy teenager glad to be back with the family and the struggle that wonderful, loving boy had trying to keep the peace in a house that rarely had any.

Tears sprang to her eyes when she remembered his unknowing look when he first woke up from his coma. The hate he held onto so strongly because it was the only emotion he could feel that wasn't fear. His ire that shone in those same loving blue eyes toward her when she approached him on the docks when working for the loading company.

If she'd only listened to him then and kept her distance. Maybe he would have been happy there and never gone to work for Sonny.

"I know what you're thinking. Nothing would have changed back then. I still would have left and I still would have found Sonny and gone to work for him."

"You don't know that."

"I **do** know that. Nothing you did caused me to take the path I did. I did that on my own. I am responsible for how my life turned out, no one else. Especially not you."

"I didn't know what I was doing." she shook her head.

"Neither did I."

She looked up at him and gave another timid smile. "Well, you've obviously come to see me for something. You've never been one to do _anything_ without having a purpose. Even as a little child, there was always a purpose to everything you did and said. Is it Michael? Have you heard that your nephew is awake and thriving?"

"I've also heard that he's just as angry as me."

"Well, at least HE isn't pushing away Edward and me. He's been here quite a few times and Carly has even talked to me about him staying here until after that baby is born and maybe a few months longer until she can build up her strength."

"Does she think Michael will hurt her or the baby?"

"She doesn't but Jax does. He's had to physically restrain Michael a few times and he's thrown things at Carly. It's all so very reminiscent of another angry young man who I know that woke up from a coma. Yet this time, he's not running away from me. His blue eyes are seeking me out."

"Good...good. You and the old man will be good for him. Safe. Love him. Love him like you wanted to love me."

"I already do. And I will. Your Grandfather is so excited he's already spoiling him. Carly and Edward have already had a fight because Edward bought Michael a convertible Mercedes sports car. I tried to talk him out of it. The boy doesn't even have his license yet. The doctors haven't fully released him to get it. But your Grandfather insisted he _needed_ it. He promised to teach him how to drive on the property and by the time he can get his license, he'll be an excellent driver."

"Sound's like the old man."

"He'll never change." she looked and saw the hesitant look in his eyes. "but he doesn't have the drive any longer to make Michael nuts like he did you. Sure he thinks of Michael as the head of ELQ already but he doesn't have the energy to fight or to push. It's okay. I promise. I won't let Edward drive Michael away."

"It's okay. I hope he and Michael can...can...be close. Actually, I'd love to see that Michael was running ELQ someday. Much better than running the mob. But thats not why I was here." he changed the subject.

"So what is it?"

"I wanted to give you this." He pulled a micro disk out of his pocket. "It has pictures of the boys and...and me and Maxie. I wanted...I wanted you to have pictures of my family...your family."

"Oh thank you" she took the disk and held it so tightly fearing it would disappear in her hands.

"And I...I wanted you to know that I love you."

"Oh Jason" she reached around his neck and pulled him to her. The tears freely flowed from her face and she held onto Jason tight as he wrapped his own strong arms around her and squeezed.

His whispered words would stick in her mind for many days and weeks and months to come. "I'm sorry I didn't realize until now how much you and the Quartermaines mean to me and how much I truly need you in my life."

With that, he pulled back, placed a chaste kiss to her cheek, breathing in her unique scent. Chanel, just like Maxie liked to wear and the scent he remembered overhearing his father once say was his favorite. Ironically, it was Jason's favorite too.

He stood without words and left, out the back doors, just the way he always did and Monica's soft voice, "I will always love you son" was the last words he heard that night.

~%~%~%~%~%~

Jason had been waiting for the perfect time to exact his revenge. However, he knew that going to see Monica the night before meant he needed to get out of town soon. She would look at the disk with all the digital pictures and the videos of Christmas and birthdays and t-ball games and if she thought Jason was in town she would look for him. Especially after his words.

He watched through the window to see Monica's reaction and he knew she was as touched and affected by his final words to her as hers had affected him. She took the picture he had left where he was sitting on the couch and placed it back on the shelf. Then moved the picture of Alan, AJ and Jason when Jason was in med school and carried it with her to bed. Only a headline, the headline he planned to be responsible for, would let her know he was truly gone from the sleepy little port.

He was on the docks. A place he was surprised to find he didn't miss at all. He was hidden by a few crates, gun drawn, waiting for the evil black haired vixen with the penchant for red shoes to finish with her instructions to two men who apparently worked for Johnny but were ready to help Claudia stage the coup to take over the Zacharra family business.

Jason shook his head as his stomach clenched as the bile rolled. She was willing to go against her own brother for power. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath when he heard her say 'even it it takes his death to get me there'.

She was pure evil.

She set into motion so many things that changed his life. Taken away so many people.

Not that he didn't love his life now. He had the two greatest boys in the world and the most wonderful woman to share his life with. He lifted his leather jacket to stick his nose near the inner breast pocket where a scarf of Maxie's was delicately folded and tucked away. It smelled of her and that was why he picked it up and packed it at the last minute. He remembered her saying the night before that she needed to hand wash it because it had perfume stains from when Cameron wanted to help her get ready for their date and sprayed her in the face with the perfume.

Chanel.

His eyes popped open quickly when he heard a familiar voice. It was all he could do to keep calm and wait for the right time when he saw the new person Claudia was talking to.

Mr. Craig. Jerry Jax. Alive.

Suddenly the rage started to take over Jason's body and this time he'd be able to fulfill his promise to a little boy and also exact his revenge against a man who took his father from him.

"Claudia my dear, I see you've finally resigned yourself to the fact that you need me."

"No, the blackmail resigned me to that fact."

"Well, see, I don't stand to lose as much as you do if I hand over the proof that you were the one to hire me and in turn Ian Devlin to kill Sonny. And now that little boy, my nephew, Michael is up and walking. It's really quite the miracle wouldn't you say?"

"Your nephew." she spit with disdain. "You don't care about Michael Corinthos any more than I do. He was just a casualty of war. Innocent blood spilled in the quest for power. Well, I'm not backing down now. You and I will take the business from my brother and run it but don't mistake the fact that I am working with you to mean I work _**for**_ you. It's the other way around."

Jason listened to the two bickering back and forth and no less than five times did he cringe at their complete disregard for innocent lives, family and such, that had been lost or would be lost to achieve their goal. A goal they'd never be able to achieve without putting one or the other to death.

Well, he would be sure they both achieved the latter part of that goal. And Johnny, Michael, Jax and Port Charles would be the better for it.

He aimed his gun carefully, deciding that Claudia being shot first would be best. Jerry's instinct would be to catch her falling and he'd be able to take the second shot to end his life as well. Then thirty quick yards behind the warehouse and through the alley and he'd be in the car and on his way to Detroit where he'd get the flight to take him to Orlando and then to Sacramento and then drive to Yuma, Arizona where he would take a final flight to Tampa. He'd be home and have Maxie in his arms within forty eight hours.

His aim steady, some things you just didn't lose, he closed one eye to focus with the other.

Suddenly two shots rang out. He pulled his gun back, knowing they didn't come from him and looked around. Suddenly he heard Johnny Zacharra's voice booming.

"Get a clean up crew here. Make sure they're both dead. Put Jerry Jax at the bottom of the harbor near where everyone assumed he died two years ago in the boat explosion. Take my sister...and....send her...send...send her ashes to Spain to be buried with our Uncle."

Jason looked back around and over the crate to see Johnny standing over his sister with disgust on his face. "Rest in peace, you BITCH!"

Jason turned to leave, no longer feeling a sense of urgency and was shocked at the two brown eyes staring at him from behind a dumpster.

Samantha McCall, armed and dressed in all black, just like him, was staring at him just as shocked to see him as he was to see her.

~%~%~%~%~%~

"Jacob that's high enough." Maxie yelled as she looked up at the boy who was at least twenty feet up in a big old oak tree.

"I can go higher Maxie, watch." He yelled down to her and she rolled her eyes knowing that he would no matter what she said.

She looked around her and spotted Cameron, Matthew and Rashawn on the baseball field, just yards away playing three way catch with their balls and gloves. All three were on the Little League, Matthew on the older team and showing the two younger boys some tricks he'd learned. Cookie and Melanie had Ling-Mei and Monte on the swings and were pushing them.

Sally O'Rourke had a biopsy that morning and her husband Danny was taking her. So Maxie offered to keep the kids from daycare that morning, since it was a teachers planning day, and then Sally's niece would pull the afternoon shift once she got out of class. All Maxie had to do was survive the morning with seven kids. The park was the easiest way to do that. Then she'd take them to McDonalds for lunch and to play at the restaurants playground. By the time she got back to the house, everyone would be ready to lay on the floor and watch movies and sleep until Rachel got there.

Maxie had also agreed all the kids would stay at their house that day so that when Danny and Sally got home, they didn't have kids to deal with.

It was Monday. Jason had been gone for over two weeks and she hadn't heard a word from him. Robin had told her what she told Jason after Maxie threatened to call Mac and tell where she was. She quizzed her cousin and discovered that she had suffered Post Pardum Depression after the birth of Emma and had recently decided, against doctors orders, to go off of her medications, citing as a doctor, she was able to tell she no longer suffered from the disease. However, after Robin left for home that day, Maxie called her father back and discovered that Robin was indeed back home to the relief of Patrick and Mac and that what Robin failed to tell her was that she had become pregnant again and miscarried in her fourth month and was suffering from a whole other ailment and had been displaying signs that she was emotionally reverting back and wanting her life from before.

And Maxie concluded from Mac's words that the life from before that she wanted apparently included Jason.

Why else would she come here to tell Jason everything that would make him want to go back to Port Charles?

The life Robin missed was the life in the cottage for the year when she and Jason were raising Michael. She came looking for _that_ man and found a variation of him.

And that just pissed Maxie off!!!

Her first instinct was to pack up the boys and hop a plane to Port Charles. She'd confront Jason head on and make him choose. His old life or his new one. He couldn't have both.

But she knew _she_ could never go back to Port Charles. The mafia thought she was dead and that was how it needed to stay. And whatever Jason was doing and no matter what changed with regard to what he wanted out of life, she knew he wouldn't leave the boys behind. Even if he was done with her.

So she waited...and waited...and waited. After two weeks, she had gone through all of the emotions. Anger, hurt, loneliness. Fear, bitterness and sorrow. Finally she'd settled on resignation.

There was nothing she could do but wait. Yet the longer she waited, the anger crept back in. Whatever he was doing, he'd left _her_ to do it. He'd left **them. **Without a word, without a call. Without any indication of when he'd be back or where he was going. She only knew because of what Robin had told her.

Michael was awake.

He left her to care for his kids. Not that she wouldn't have done it anyway. She loved those boys and after two and a half years together, she thought of the two boys as her own. She could not have loved them more if they really were her nephews. She couldn't imagine loving anything more, even a child of her own.

But the fact remained, he left.

And of all the fears Maxie ever held in her life, through everything, fear of being left was the worst.

She'd already suffered that fate too many times in her twenty five years. Her father, her mother...then Robin for a while. Jessie, Lucky, Coop then Georgie.

She knew she could handle this, she would survive but each time a little piece of her died. Now she felt, with the loss of Jason, that it was pointless to put herself out there again. She never gave up. She hoped he'd return to her and tell her he loved her and wanted her. But at this point, she wasn't sure she'd be able to accept that as her fate.

Could she simply forgive him?

She'd worked so hard. She'd changed for him. Change she wanted and change she was ready for. Maturing and stopping the schemes and lies but changed for him was still the end result. Change to be worthy of his love.

And he left.

The sound of cracking wood pulled her from her thoughts as she looked up to see the limb that Jacob was climbing. It all happened in slow motion and she could do nothing but watch it all play out.

At least twenty five feet up in the tree the limb Jake had his foot on gave way and broke off of the trunk, Jake was holding on for dear life to the branch above him but it wasn't strong enough to hold his entire weight. It was bending and soon would break off too. Maxie let out a scream and panic set in when suddenly, two strong arms pushed her away from the tree as the lower limb fell to the ground in the very spot she was standing. Maxie watched as Jake fell, straight into those same two strong arms.

Safe.


	21. Epilogue NC17

A/N: And so it ends. I hope you like the ending. (It's incredibly long. 25 pages sheesh...I probably could have broken it up.) I have loved all those who have responded and replied to this story. Thank you so much for your encouragement and thoughts throughout. I know many more have read but not replied and that's cool too. Although I really am interested in peoples criticisms of my writing. However, as I've said in previous chapters, there will be a sequel. I want to finish up a long neglected Liason story called "Counting to Ten" before I start writing the sequel to this one but there is so much I have set up in this story for the sequel. When you read it you'll go….OH YEAH I forgot about that! LOL…anyhoo…thanks to all of you who have taken this ride with me. I hope it was worth the price of admission. (That was a dig to my fellow Liason friends who hated me for writing this Jaxie story and then secretly begged for new chapters. ;-) You know who you are.)

Now, in the immortal words of Jim Morrison of The Doors….

_This is the end  
My only friend_

_The end  
It hurts to set you free  
But you'll never follow me  
The end of laughter  
And soft lies  
The end of nights we tried to die_

This is the end

**Chapter 20 (Epilogue) (c)**

"What the fuck?" Jason could barely contain his anger as it rushed through him gripping his gut as tightly as his hand gripped the two dozen white and yellow calla lilies he finally found at the fourth flower shop on his way from the airport.

His flight landed around four thirty and after nearly three weeks gone from his family, all he wanted to do was wrap them all in his arms and hold them tight. Read to his boys and play a game of Dora the Explorer Candy Land and then kiss his girlfriend on every exposed inch of her body.

And he wanted every inch of her body to be exposed.

He imagined finally seeing them, even day dreaming about it while he was on the flight from the layover in Houston, Texas. The little pixie of a blonde in the baby blue see through negligee that didn't even cover half of her ass and the matching blue satin thong that didn't cover her ass at all.

He nearly exploded thinking about how _his_ hands should be around her right now but instead…

"It's not what you think so release the steam before you go over there." Jason turned to see Dale Watson had come up behind him and was watching Maxie in a fierce embrace with Robbie Kent, Dale's grandson.

_Damn_, Jason thought, _I really need to brush up on my skills. That's twice someone has been able to sneak up without me noticing them. _"I…what's going on?"

"Robbie has been a real hero today. You should be thanking my grandson instead of thinking of ways to kill him." Dale responded shoving his hands into the pockets of his cargo shorts.

The older man turned and stood shoulder to shoulder with Jason as they watched Maxie bury her nose in Robbie's chest and hug his waist as her body visibly trembled. Robbie continually smoothed his hand up and down her back as the other cradled her head. Never once allowing his hand to travel too far down and never leaning too far into her with his lower body. His chin was rested on top of her head and he was looking up to the setting sun, his mouth moving with words neither of the two observers could hear nor make out.

Jason watched as the jealousy coursed through him in palpable waves. It should only be him that is Maxie's hero, ever. And here it was, less than a month away from her and Maxie was turning to someone else for comfort. "What's wrong with her?"

The meaning of that question two-fold.

"You mean aside from you just up and leaving without contact? Leaving her to take care of everything here without you? The boys? The business? The questions we've all been asking? Nothing much…" He flippantly told Jason through his tone and demeanor that he was dissatisfied with Jason. He turned to walk toward his house then stopped about five feet away. "Oh, except your youngest nearly got him self killed today while Maxie helplessly watched and Robbie over there saved him."

The older man walked off shaking his head. Never in his life had he met a man so smart and so stupid at the same time. Even his knuckle headed grandson wasn't as stupid as Jason Johnson. Sure family obligations were something you were supposed to take care of. If your family needed you, it was your duty as a man to do everything within your power to assist but not at the expense of your immediate family. Nope, first priority was your wife and kids and even if Maxie Webster and Jason Johnson weren't married, they might as well have been. Robbie may have been a jerk, and he'd been told by Robbie himself why his grandson was no longer dating Maxie and why Jason held such discontent toward him but still…Robbie walked away without obligation. Jason left her when his first obligation should have been to her and his boys.

And maybe he was from the old school, but it just didn't sit right with him no matter the _real_ reasons behind it.

It was very apparent to him and his wife on day three that Maxie really didn't know what was going on. The girl usually never shut up and Dale would sit in his chair watching PTI and SportsCenter while listening to Maxie Webster tell Denny everything and then some about every aspect of the Webster-Johnson household. This had been a weekly occurrence since they had moved in next door, increasing to nearly a daily occurrence once Maxie and their granddaughter, Hannah, became so close. But the past three weeks, Maxie was evasive to the point where they concluded she too didn't understand completely why Jason had left but that she was scared and embarrassed by it.

And today Dale watched helplessly from his van while reading the paper as Maxie Webster finally hit her breaking point in the wake of Jason leaving. He drove her and the kids to the park. He had nothing better to do and knew there was no way Maxie could drive his extra long van so he decided to get a large coffee and his news paper and drive Maxie to the park with the kids. He was just about to get out of his van to tell Maxie he didn't think it was wise to let Jake climb the tree when his grandson pulled up. He was looking for his grandfather to see if he wanted to join him at the Tampa Rays baseball game that afternoon. He'd been given some free tickets at the base. After a brief chat, Robbie saw the height Jake had reached and took off in a sprint to catch the boy that he knew would be falling soon.

Once the excitement was over and Maxie was assured that Jake was okay, she broke down and hadn't really stopped crying since. Robbie took her and Dale took the kids back to the house where Denny took over the babysitting chore. Robbie tried everything in his power to get Maxie to open up to him or to distract her. It was a shame Hannah and Billy had taken their long planned vacation to Disney that week. Maxie really needed her friend.

Maxie was finally calming down and Robbie and Dale were planning to go to the baseball game when Jason arrived.

"Dale" Jason tried to stop him but the older man just lifted his hand above his head to wave Jason off and mumbled, _Just talk to Maxie…she'll explain everything._

Jason watched as his friend, and truly he was his friend, walked away. He felt more distress that he had disappointed _that_ man than he had ever felt with his own father or grandfather. Dale had become a good friend but more so, a father figure to Jason. He'd given sage advice when Jason needed it. He'd listened when Jason was at a loss. He and his wife had taken him, Maxie and their boys in to their family's fold and never once let them feel like they weren't a part of the Watson family.

And he was disenchanted with Jason because he up and left his family with Maxie holding the bag, so to speak. Jason understood that. He hated leaving Maxie but in his heart of hearts, he knew he would not find peace if he hadn't gone. Sure his obligation was here, within the walls of the house he was standing next to but he had an old obligation…to an old life…to family…to a nephew that in his mind he still felt was his son.

He smiled as he lowered his head and looked at the ground. He was glad Dale felt that way. It meant that no matter what, Maxie and the boys would always have the Watsons. And to an extent, he knew he did too.

Dale was very similar to him. He didn't mince words, he tried hard not to judge people and allow them their own choices. He expressed when he didn't like them and just now, he expressed to Jason how disappointed he was but still took his time to let Jason know that what he was seeing and what he was thinking was not what was really happening. That meant he was disappointed but hadn't washed his hands of his neighbor and friend.

Looking up he saw Maxie and Robbie still in the embrace and took three labored breaths and put one foot in front of the other as he walked toward the pair.

Robbie noticed him first and whispered something to Maxie then stepped back, dropping his hands to his side. Maxie turned her head quickly and within mere seconds took off running, launching herself into Jason's waiting arms.

"Oh my God, Jason, you're back." She cried as she buried her face in his neck. Pulling back she peppered his face with kisses, finally landing on his lips. "I missed you so much."

Jason was surprised, he expected a completely different reaction from her but when he felt her weight in his arms and smelled the faint jasmine of her shampoo and then felt her silk soft lips first against his neck then his cheek, chin and finally he tasted her with his own lips, he could do nothing but breathe a sigh of relief and smile.

"I missed you too…and the boys…so much." He nearly cried himself. He knew he had missed her but hadn't realized just how much until this moment.

"Glad you're back Jason." Robbie said and clapped him on the back pulling Jason and Maxie from their trance as he was memorizing her face, her red rimmed eyes, her supple lips, her smile and she was looking into the bluest eyes she'd ever seen.

Jason again cringed and wished nothing short of death for the man because he had interrupted their moment. He turned his head and slowly allowed Maxie to slide down his body until her feet were again firmly planted on the ground. "Thanks."

However, with the trance broken, what he expected from Maxie soon erupted. He felt the hand crack across his face and steeled his jaw when the other one came. "Where in the FUCK do you get off? Do you even care that Jake fell out of a fucking tree today? Do you care that he turned four last week? Do you care that you missed the meeting with the schools counselor about Cameron becoming involved with a study on child development the University of South Florida is doing? They want him to go to a special daycare the whole summer for this thing. I had to make the decision all by myself. I had no idea whether this would be good for him or not. I didn't know what I was doing. And Brittany's prom. We were supposed to go to that, remember? And the Bitterman's wedding. And the air conditioner broke right after you left. Thank God for Billy and Mr. Watson. I had no way of calling you, no way to ask you what to do. I had no idea where you were or what was happening. I didn't know when or if you were ever coming back. I didn't even know if you were alive or dead."

She hit him again and as her hand retracted he grabbed onto her wrist. "I'm sorry."

_I'm sorry? I'm SORRY! _She thought _He has some fucking nerve!_

She wrestled her wrist from his grip and stood, jaw agape, staring at him. She could not believe he thought _I'm sorry_ would satisfy her.

"You're kidding right? This is some cosmic joke? Payback in the scheme of life for everything I've done in my past? A test maybe? That's it right? You were testing me?"

"No" he said simply. He knew she needed to get it out. That's why her initial response was such a shock. But that last comment caused his brows to furrow. To think it was a test or payback told him she never found the note he wrote to her. If he could, he'd kick his own ass for not leaving the note in a more obvious place. Yet still, after three weeks, he thought for sure she would have found it.

Forgetting that Robbie was still standing there and not seeing Dale walk up to the group, both shocked and taking in everything she had just said, Maxie turned and stormed off toward their house and Jason followed behind, flowers still in hand.

Once they reached the back patio he dropped out from her path to the sliding glass door to go to the spot he'd left the note. Their lounge chair. Their place. He thought for sure that she would have gone there when she was lonely or missing him or hell…just to lay out in the afternoon sun while the boys were playing in the back yard. Regardless, she always loved to lie in that chair.

He slid his hand into the small pillow casing that was tied to the top of the chair and laid over the cushions. His confusion was written clearly on his face when he came up empty. The letter wasn't there. If Maxie hadn't found it, then where was it? Anytime she lay in the chair, she would slide her cell phone into the pillow case to hold it and keep it near her head in case she fell asleep. He thought for sure she'd find the letter within a day or two of his departure. Her cell phone rarely left her side and there were times in the middle of the night he had to peel it off of his bare back and place it on her bedside table because she'd fallen asleep with it in her hands. Anytime she was on that lounger, she would slide it into the pillow to protect it and keep it close.

She must have found the letter, he surmised. Maybe she found it the night he left and was so upset she ripped it to shreds anyway, which was why he didn't leave it on his pillow to begin with.

Before he could move into the house and ask the question two little boys, HIS boys, came tearing through the house screaming for him and launched themselves into his arms. He crouched and caught them easily and lifted them up into his strong arms.

"**Daddy!" **Both children yelled which caused Maxie to stop and turn wide eyed to look at Jason.

Jason too had wide eyes and leaned his head back to look at his oldest son. "Cameron, did you just call me Daddy?"

"Yes. Miss Vonnie explained to me that I could call you Daddy too, just like Jake because even though I'm adopted, I'm your real son too."

"Yes..yes you are Cameron and I love you just as much as I do Jake…" Tears started to form in his eyes and he looked to Maxie who hadn't even tried to stop the tears from free falling across her cheeks. "I'd be so proud if you called me Daddy, just like Jake does."

Maxie walked up and scratched her nails lightly across Cameron's back. "What made you ask Miss Vonnie if you could call Jason Daddy?"

Jake spoke up first. "Stupid Cookie. She said that I don't have a mommy and that Cam doesn't have a mommy OR a daddy."

Jason walked, boys in arms and Maxie close on his heels, and set each of them down in their chair at the kitchen table. He then crouched down in front of Cameron and placed his hand on his shoulder. "Cameron, you know that you have both a father and a mother right?"

"Yeah, you and Maxie both told me. Mommy is in Heaven and Mommy told me my real daddy went to Heaven before I was born."

"Right. Mommy and" He looked at Maxie trying hard not to roll his eyes at his next statement "Zander, your biological father, are in Heaven."

Jason wasn't sure which was worse. Saying Zander, someone who he never liked or held any type of respect for, was worthy of going to a Heaven that housed people like Elizabeth, his grandmother Lila, his beloved sister Emily or even his father Alan and Maxie's sister Georgie was simply ludicrous. But the distaste of bile that rose in his throat and coated his tongue when he called Zander Cameron's biological father told him THAT was worse. But he knew that was what Cameron should always believe. No one should ever know the bad side of a father they never knew. Besides, he would want them to think that about him were he to die, even if he knew his past discretions would never allow him anywhere near the gates of Heaven. Thou Shalt Not Kill was a commandment he broke many, many times over and he didn't hold any misconceptions that he would one day atone for those sins. Be it here or in the afterlife.

But the two little boys sitting in front of him with curious eyes, hanging on his every word, didn't need to know that.

Ever.

"Cameron, Jake…" Maxie started as she sat down at her normal place at the table. "Jas…uh...Daddy and I want you to know that even though our family is…"

"Different" Jason gave her.

"Yes…different. I'm not your Mommy and all and Jason's not Cameron's biological father…you two still have what's most important."

Jason picked up her cue and pulled Cameron into his arms and sat in his seat placing the nearly seven year old in his lap. "You have two parents that love you so much. That's what Maxie and I are…your parents. That's what we're trying to say."

"But I can still call you Daddy right? Cause even Hannah said I could call you Daddy. Mr. Billy said I gotta ask you but Hannah said I didn't have to ask. She said I could call you Daddy if I wanted to."

"Cameron, I would love it if you called me Daddy."

Jake climbed over and climbed into Maxie's lap. "Can I call you Mommy?"

Jason's eyes quickly shifted from his oldest son to his youngest. His immediate, knee jerk reaction was to tell him NO. He has a Mommy. But then, he would be a hypocrite. Jake was too young. He only remembers his mother from Maxie's insistence that they be reminded of her constantly. He was only a year and a half old when Elizabeth died. Jason knew what that was like. He certainly didn't remember ANYTHING about his mother, Susan, because Monica and Alan had rarely, if ever, talked about her once she was gone. He called Monica Mom when he was younger. At least that's what they told him. Even rarely after he woke up, he called her Mom on occasions.

However, he didn't need to panic too long. Cameron and Maxie both told him "No" then Maxie went on to explain, "Jake, I'm way too young to be your's or Cam's Mom. I would be horrified if you called me Mommy. I'd rather you called me…"

"Cookie?" Jason added and then laughed and everyone got the joke and laughed with him.

"Yes, I'd rather you called me Cookie or…" she looked around "toaster or even refrigerator. Although, I would truly be offended if you called me refrigerator because that's like calling me fat and I'm…well I've really gained a lot of weight since I've been taking care of you boys. But I wouldn't go so far as to say I'm fat like a refrigerator or big as a house or anything. But I have put on some…I mean honestly, it's hard not to eat the cheeseburgers or the ice cream or the gummy worms when they're everywhere. Actually, if I want to lose the twenty pounds I've put on since we started on our adventure, I'd probably have to leave cause you boys _always_ have the worst food. Macaroni and cheese, hot dogs, pizza. You know what…you'll probably be able to call me refrigerator pretty soon. Refrigerator Maxie…and stress the MAX in Maxie."

All three boys looked at each other and started rolling their eyes. The two little ones twirling their finger next to the side of their head. Two things Jason had taught them when Maxie would go off on these rambling tangents. She was crazy. And they were stuck listening. But Jason was thrilled. He'd missed this the most. Him and the boys listening as Maxie ranted and raged about something non consequential.

Then Jason heard the words he never wanted to hear. "I need to go on a diet. That's what I'll do. I am fat."

"No you're not and no you don't Maxie." He'd had enough. She was skinny to the point of being anorexic when they left port Charles. He didn't know for sure but would bet money she didn't even weigh a hundred pounds. Now she was still skinny but had muscle and tone and curves. And he loved her curves. Especially since that twenty pounds she said she'd gained had gone evenly to her tits and her ass. Two of his favorite places to grab on to.

She shot him a look, half surprised and half pissed. He wasn't sure if the half pissed was because he contradicted her, interrupted her rambling or because she had been in the process of storming away from him when Cameron had stopped them.

Knowing he wanted to at least quell the situation, he quickly added, "You are drop dead gorgeous and you know it. There isn't an ounce of fat on you and the way you look in a bikini puts supermodels to shame and you know THAT too."

"Oh brother" Cameron said and climbed down off of Jason's lap. "Jake they're gonna smooch, lets go."

"Yeah gross" Jake announced moving to climb down from Maxie's lap.

He tried to get down but Maxie held on to him. "Boys we aren't going to kiss. As a matter of fact, I think you two missed your father very much and he should spend some time with you."

She looked over at Jason and he watched as the wall that had just gone down for a few minutes went right back up. Which reminded him of the question he was going to ask her.

"Maxie, did you read the letter I left you?"

"You didn't leave me any letter Jason. Oh and thanks a lot for that too. You know…you…" she stopped seeing four eyes looking up at her as she moved across the room toward the living room. "We'll talk about this later…while you are explaining exactly what happened from the time you talked to my cousin to the moment you showed back up here. But not in front of the boys because I DO NOT have enough toys and the swear box isn't big enough to hold my new Camaro."

"Have you guys eaten?" Jason asked tentatively. Maybe something normal like dinner would let her calm down and let them talk a little to break the ice with the kids present as a buffer.

"Pizza!" Jake shouted.

"Sushi!" Cameron shouted.

"Sushi?" Jason turned questioning eyes up to Maxie and she smirked. "He just eats the rice and the shrimp but yeah…" she shrugged. "He likes sushi."

"Well what do you think Jake? You want to go to Ichiban and watch the funny man cook in front of us?"

"Can I wear a shirt with a pocket so he can throw the shrimp tails in it?" Jake asked.

"Sure." He laughed then looked up at Maxie, "Is that okay with you?"

"You're buying" she narrowed her eyes then lifted her hand to tap her perfectly manicured blood red fingernail against her chin. "And you're driving."

"I always buy and I always drive."

"Not the last three weeks you haven't." She couldn't help but add the dig.

The fact remained that even though he was home and he was safe, he left her to fend for her and the kids while he traipsed off to do whatever without so much as a phone call. Sure he loved her and sure he came back. Two things she had to admit she had really been questioning over the past few days. But he left. He left the life he claimed he would never give up for the old life he'd supposedly given up long ago for her. Well, not initially for her but for the boys. And eventually for her too.

"I'm sorry." He said again, knowing he'd say it at least another dozen times today alone.

"And I'm having the Lobster and Scallops"

"Good, I'll have the steak and chicken and I'll get Surf N Turf."

"I may not share with you."

"You never can eat more than three or four bites of the lobster and two or three of the scallops. Especially if you're going to have some sushi but if that's what you want…"

"No, you're right…I guess you'll get Surf N Turf but I'm not getting the fried rice. I'm getting extra vegetables."

"That's cool. I'll just eat Jake and Cam's."

"Nuh uh Daddy, I'm having SUSHI!" Cam announced as he twirled in a circle swinging Maxie's arm above his head.

"Well I'm not having that stuff. It's gross. Daddy said so. And Billy and Junior and Mr. Watson don't eat it either. It's prolly just for girls Cam. You're a big ole girl."

"Nuh uh Jake. You take that back. Boys eat sushi too. Don't they Maxie." He looked up and Maxie smiled.

"Yes Cameron, boys eat sushi too. It makes them big and strong."

"That's spinach Maxie. Spinach makes you big and strong." Jason added lifting his arm and flexing his muscle for her, smiling again knowing what was coming next.

"EEEEWWWWW" came three loud cries.

"Jason spinach is gross and we three decided a long time ago that you cannot make us eat it. I don't care what you say." Maxie's hand were on her hips in defiance. Jason may as well quit trying to force them to eat the stuff.

"More for me then." He smirked and picked up a pile of bills that had been stacked up, unopened, as if waiting for him on the counter.

Which they were. Maxie had looked at them just this morning and told herself she needed to open them and figure out what to do to pay them before they came home and there was no water or electricity. Now she needn't worry.

Jason was home.

She looked up at him and she couldn't help her eyes softening when she saw the blissful look he held as he thumbed through their mail listening to the boys and chiming in on the back and forth banter. Something so familiar in this house.

She smiled and her hand instinctively lifted and landed on his forearm to pull his attention from the bills to her. "And I'm getting a glass of plum wine and a bottle of Saki."

Jason's eyebrows rose. Last time she had plum wine and Saki she couldn't keep her hands off of him. As a matter of fact, he was exhausted the next morning and that was the day he went to his boss to change his schedule to have Monday's off with Maxie. He hated leaving her in bed that morning after a marathon night of love making.

"You can have whatever your heart desires Princess." He smiled and leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. Lightly. He didn't further the kiss because he knew he had a lot to make up to her but she let him kiss her. And that was all he needed to know.

They'd somehow be okay.

"See Jake I told ya they were gonna smooch."

"Gross"

~%~%~%~%~%~

At dinner, Maxie, Jake and Cameron each took turns filling Jason in on what he'd missed. Jake starting by explaining what Maxie meant by him almost getting killed falling out of a tree.

One by one they each shared stories and anecdotes. Jason was happy and proud and upset and frightened and incredibly sad that he'd missed so much in the short time he was gone.

He'd never felt that so much before. When he'd leave for a job for Sonny or a trip for himself, he never came back feeling like he'd missed out on much. Sure things had changed. When he came back the first time he left for a long period of time, so much had changed. Sonny and Carly were together and Lucky was alive. He'd go on jobs that might take him away from weeks at a time and he'd notice Morgan or Michael had changed or that he'd missed out on something special in someone's life.

But he never felt disappointed necessarily that he'd not been there for it. Just recognized that he'd missed it. Yet now, he felt a true and deep sadness that he wasn't there to see Cameron make a double play in T-ball or to watch Jake's surprised face when the four candles he'd blown out sparked back to life. He missed the chance to beat the snot out of, or at least intimidate badly, the boy that took Brittany to prom and then promptly turned into a beast with all hands in the limo to the point that the limo driver allowed Brittany to sit up front with him until they dropped the young man off. Although Maxie assured him that she knew who he was and if Jason wanted to make his presence known to the young man, Brittany would be grateful. She didn't have a father or older brother to do that for her.

He was happy to find out Brittany had decided to go to University of South Florida. She had become such an integral part of Georgie's Boutique, he and Maxie had discussed what they were going to do to replace her. Now, she would continue to work at the boutique while going to school and Maxie promised her that she could work whatever hours she wanted and Maxie would take up the slack.

He was not happy to find out that Maxie had decided to let Cameron be a part of the University's study on child development. He wanted Cameron to be able to have his summer free to do whatever he wanted to. However, Maxie reminded him that HE wasn't there to make the call and that she did the best she could.

That was the sixth time he'd said _I'm sorry_ to her.

Besides, she said, the boys bickered way too much and it would be good if they weren't at the same place all summer long. Also, The O'Rourke's niece was one of the girls involved in the project so they knew Cameron would be safe and have someone there he knew and they could trust.

But even though he knew it wasn't real, Jason still couldn't get the image out of his mind of his son hooked up to those strange brain wave helmets you see in the movies.

He was pleasantly surprised when after the second tiny cup of Sake, Maxie's hand found his knee and then made its way up his thigh giving a strong squeeze when she'd gone as far as she should in public. He instantly hardened and looked down at her and she raised an eyebrow and whispered how much she had missed him.

That was when he got his third kiss from her since he'd come home.

Now he was full and happy and had heard all that he'd missed. He helped Maxie get the boys ready for bed and read to them and promised that he'd be there in the morning and would be walking them to school just like normal.

Finally, the dogs were all fed and were running around in the back yard while Jason set the mood. He lit the firepit in the middle of the table Maxie had bought with the lawn furniture. He had bitched about the cost and the uselessness of much of the furniture, including the need for a fire pit, but now he loved it and was glad he'd given in to Maxie just to shut her up at the time. They'd used that furniture and that firepit more than the fireplace in the house or the sofa in the living room.

Maxie had gone to wash her face and get into more comfortable clothes, which Jason knew to mean something shiny and silky but not see through and with a robe and probably at least knee length. He in turn put on his silk pajama bottoms she'd given him and nothing else. His feet were bare on the concrete and there was a light breeze caressing his tanned skin.

Again he slid his hand into the case that housed the head rest on their lounger. Not sure if he thought the letter would mysteriously reappear or if he was just reassuring himself that it really wasn't there.

He had a glass of plum wine, he bought a bottle at dinner with the sole purpose of being able to bring some home for this very reason, and a beer sitting on the table for him. Soft music was playing through the speakers that looked like rocks around the yard. The Chicago CD he'd bought a while back after that fateful wedding that changed everything for him and Maxie.

He looked up from his bent over position and his breath caught in his throat when he heard the sliding door roll open and Maxie stood in a black silk negligee that had lace, semi-see through cups covering her breasts and thin spaghetti straps. It flowed all the way down to the floor but had a slit up the sides trimmed with that same lace. The slit came up to where her thighs met with her hips on both sides. The matching robe was hanging loose and open on her shoulders and she had on kitten heel pumps with the little fuzzy feathers that Jason always thought were useless and didn't understand why they were sold as slippers but loved them now that they were on his woman's feet.

"You are so beautiful." He breathed, holding his hand out for her to come to him.

"You're not so bad yourself." She said stepping through the doorway and shutting it behind her. "I've missed seeing those washboard abs."

"Yeah?" He looked down at his tone body and then back up at her.

"Yeah" she slid up to him as he stood tall and flexed his muscles for her.

She trailed one lone fingernail across his abs and up along his collarbone and out over his shoulder then down circling his nipples, smirking with satisfaction as each of them instantly hardened as soon as her blood red nail neared them. Then her finger trailed down to his belly button and circled, playing in the light trail of hair that led down and disappeared below the low hanging pants.

She looked up at him and her eyes sparkled with desire. They were glazed over from the wine and the Sake but the look she was giving him was pure lust and desire. It was a look he'd seen so many times before. She knew what she was doing. There was no question in his mind. She was seducing him and he was putty in her hands.

Slowly he leaned down and her arms came up and clasped behind his neck. "I love you Maxie."

"I love you too Jason, so much."

His head finally lowered enough and his lips took hers in a gentle kiss. Soon his arms came around her back and he lifted her up into him as he sucked on her lower lip and then turned and kissed the corner of her mouth and pulled her upper lip in between his lips and bit lightly. Her sigh opened up her mouth enough for him to slip his tongue in and he instantly groaned and grew hard at the sensations. He could taste the plum wine and the sweet essence that was uniquely Princess Mariah Maximilliana.

His tongue searched out hers and once he found it, twirled around it angling his head to get deeper into the crevice of her mouth with his tongue. His fingers tangled in her hair which she'd taken down for him. Just the way he liked it, long and flowing. His other hand kept her body pressed against his at the waist as he turned them and laid her down on the lounge chair, lowering his body onto hers but using his knee between her legs to keep his weight off of her and to better control their descent onto the chair.

Instinctively, Maxie's legs wrapped around his torso and she pulled his lower body flush with hers so that his rapidly hardening cock was cradled against her wet, weeping and pulsating pussy.

They both let out a moan of pleasure when they felt the other against their most sensitive spots. Jason ground up against her for good measure to relieve the pressure they were both feeling.

"We should have just gone straight to bed." He whispered as he pulled his arm from around her back when they were both safely on the lounge chair and cupped her lace covered breast with his strong, calloused hand.

"No, I'd like to hear your explanation now that the boys are in bed." She announced and Jason dropped his forehead onto her collar bone where he'd been slowly working his lips down from her lips to her breasts.

The roadblock.

She wanted to talk. And they needed to talk. He had a lot to explain to her and quite a few more _I'm sorry_'s he was sure. But right now, he wanted to feel himself encased inside her. He wanted to taste her dripping with need for him. He wanted to feel her nails scoring him as she begged him for more.

But she had a right to know exactly what happened. So he lifted himself off of her, kissing her lips one more time before standing and holding her hand to lift her up so he could slide in behind her and adjust the lounger to a more inclined position.

Once he was settled, he reached over and handed her the glass of wine and then picked up his beer, setting it on his thigh as his other arm wrapped around her midsection and searched her free hand then twined his fingers with hers.

"What do you want to know?"

"Did you kill her?"

Maxie's question shocked him and he instantly went rigid. "What?"

"Claudia, did you kill her?"

"How did you…you did find the letter." He responded.

"Jason, I'm not lying, I didn't find this mysterious letter you wrote me. I found Robin before she left town. She told me Michael was awake and that Claudia was out of jail and that they couldn't prove that she put the hit on Sonny but that everyone KNEW she did it." She turned in his arms and looked him in the eye. "I'm not stupid you know. Knowing Michael was awake wouldn't have made you leave so abruptly. You'd have probably talked to me about going there first. But knowing that Michael was awake, Sonny was in prison and Claudia was running free…you went to kill her. And that's why it was such a big secret. And also why I was so damn scared."

This was when Jason would normally clam up. Pleading the fifth and remaining stone silent was his MO. However, that was Jason Morgan. Right now, in this moment, in this chair with this beautiful blond in his lap, he was Jason Johnson. And Jason Johnson and Maxie Webster didn't have secrets.

"You are exactly right. I did go to kill her. But someone beat me to it."

"She was dead when you got there?" she leaned back, her eyes belying the skepticism. "Then why were you gone so long?"

"No, she wasn't dead when I got there and it was just three days ago that she died. I was in place and was ready to pull the trigger when someone else beat me to it."

"Who?"

"That's not important."

"I want to know. And I want to know what you were doing for three weeks."

"I was…" He sighed. He didn't want to tell her. His instincts were that she shouldn't know too much information in case there was ever a reason for her to be questioned. But he knew she deserved to know what kept him away from her and the boys for so long so he took a deep breath. "I was watching Michael…and Carly and Morgan and…Claudia."

"How is Michael?" she asked in a whisper. He'd told her in long stories on nights just like this while she lay in his arms about Michael and his dreams and regrets for the boy he felt so close to.

"He's…he's good. I guess. I never talked to him. Or anyone for that matter. Except Monica."

"You talked to Monica? Wait…you didn't talk to Michael or Carly or…"

He cut her off. "No, I don't need to interrupt their life. It would only complicate things more. Carly is pregnant. She looks ready to pop any minute. I overheard her saying something to Morgan about his little sister so I assume she's having a girl. Michael is angry and rebellious. Much like I was when I woke up from my coma but he remembers his life before he was shot so that's…good."

"And you talked to Monica?" she took a sip of her wine watching as his eyes softened at the mention of his mothers name.

"Yeah, I had to see her to tell her…I don't know. I just…I took her a computer disk I had with pictures of you, me and the boys. I wanted her to know we were happy and safe."

"So she knows about us?" Her eyes lit up. "What did she say about you and me being…together?"

"I didn't talk to her about it. I…I'm sure she knows by now that we're together but I didn't talk to her until the last night I was there and she didn't look at the disk while I was there so when we talked she didn't know. I just…I wanted her to know that she mattered to me. I did so many things wrong back then and it's only now…that I have you and the boys that I realized what I put her and the Quartermaines through."

"Oh" Maxie said, not sure what to say to him. She'd known he'd wrestled with demons from his past just like she'd wrestled with her own since they'd moved to Tampa. Each trying to justify and live with their choices up until then and also trying to learn from them.

"So who killed Claudia."

"Her brother."

"Johnny?" Maxie sat up this time turning fully in his lap.

"He killed her and Jerry Jax. Apparently he was the one Claudia hired to kill Sonny and in turn he hired Ian Devlin. Johnny killed both of them because they were plotting to take over the Zacharra organization. The woman even told one of her lieutenants to kill Johnny if it meant she would be able to take hold of the power as head of the family."

"Johnny's back in?"

"I don't think he ever really left. Maxie, it's impossible to leave the mob."

"You did."

"That's a little different. And honestly, I still fear that my enemies are looking for me." He reached up and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear then let his hand trail down her neck. "That's why I'm always so…"

"Crazy?"

"Cautious…with you and the boys. That's why I am still skeptical of the people in our lives and had all the security installed into this house and the boutique. I don't know what I'd do if they ever found us. It would kill me if I lost you and the boys too."

"We're fine and you'll keep us safe. You always will." She turned and settled in his arms again, threading her fingers with his and bringing them slowly up to guide them around the curves of her breasts. "I trust you."

And it seemed she was fine with his explanation. He was glad. Telling him she trusted him was like hearing the angels sing. It was music to his ears.

"I love you Maxie and I'm never leaving you again."

"Don't make promises you can't keep. I understand why you went. Truly I do. But if something like that comes up again, you could at least let me know you're okay and where you're going and what you're doing."

He sighed, she was right but he HAD… "I did write you a letter. As a matter of fact, I put it in the case on the pillow in this chair. I figured you would find it when you slid your phone into it like you always do. Like you just did a few minutes ago."

"I haven't been on this chair since you and I sat here last. I couldn't. It…it didn't feel right and it hurt too much to think I would be in this huge chair without your arms around me."

"I'm sorry." Number eight.

"You should be. But if you put the letter…" she reached around his head trying to wrench her hand into the opening.

"It's not there. I don't know what happened to it." He said trailing his finger down the underside of her arm making her shiver.

As if on cue, Popeye groaned and lifted his head up off of the cement where he was laying beside them. Jason looked at the big dog and smiled "What's the matter Popeye?"

"I wonder if the boys found the letter." Maxie murmured and turned her head so that her ear was pressed against Jason's chest. The wine and Sake making her more tired than she wanted to be.

"I don't know. I wonder where the letter went too."

Just then Popeye's ears perked up and he shot up off the ground and ran toward the back of the yard where his doghouse was. Within seconds, a slobbery wet but still in tact letter appeared in Maxie's face and under Jason's nose in the jaws of their dog.

"Popeye…you took the letter?" Jason laughed. Never did he think of that and his surprise was apparent that it was still in it's original form. Popeye was known for eating the strangest things but Jason guessed even Popeye knew how important the letter was.

"This is the letter you wrote me?" she pulled it from Popeye's mouth and the dog instantly sat waiting to be praised for bringing it to her.

She scratched him behind the ear and said "Good Boy" and then added "But next time, could you be a little more prompt? I could have stood to see this letter about two weeks ago when I was out of my mind with worry."

Jason squeezed her tighter and brushed his lips against her exposed neck. "I'm sorry I worried you. I love you and I never wanted you to worry about me."

"Well, let's try to never let it happen again, okay?" she murmured as she lifted her chin to capture his lips.

After a passionate kiss that aroused them all over again she pulled away for much needed air. "This letter…is it worth reading now?"

"It's up to you. It's just me telling you how much I love you and explaining why I was leaving. It also has another envelope with information you would have needed if I hadn't returned but I also put that in the check book for you to find so that if you tore the letter up, you'd still have the pass codes and keys and combinations to the accounts and locks and such."

"It says how much you love me?"

"Yes but instead of reading it, I'd rather show you Princess."

"I think I'd rather you showed me too." She said and lifted herself off of the lounger and held her hand out for Jason. She wanted to make love to him and they certainly couldn't do it out there. "Take me to bed Jason."

"It would be my pleasure."

~%~%~%~%~%~

Maxie woke up to the feel of two strong arms lifting her legs onto two strong shoulders. Then she smiled and purred at the feel of a tongue darting out and licking up her slit.

"Mmmm good morning." She said as her hands instinctively ran through his hair and pulled his head down to feast upon her.

"I cannot get enough of you baby. I missed you so much."

"Well, I could always leave the shop closed and tell Brittany I'm not coming in so she can open it at three when she gets out of school. Unless you're planning to go to work today."

"Nope, I think I need to stay here and work on reminding you how much I love you."

His voice and hot breath sent tingles to her core. They'd made love through the night and when the sky was just starting to turn that darkest shade of blue instead of black because the sun was nearing to rise, she fell asleep in his arms, content and completely satisfied.

"I think that's a perfect plan." She smiled as he sucked her clit into his mouth and she cupped her own breasts and pinched her own nipples to add to the pleasure.

He worked her clit until she was panting and gyrating in rhythm of his tongue and teeth. She looked down and saw that he was turned sideways and was stroking himself as he licked and sucked her to orgasm and she suddenly needed him inside her.

She pulled at his hair and he shoved his tongue into her channel tasting her feminine juices. "Cum for me Maxie. I want to taste you. I…" He let out a hot breath of air that caused her to clench and release nearing completion. "I love it when you cum in my mouth."

His hand moved in time with his tongue and her hand continued her own assault on her nipples as she lifted her hips forcing more of herself into his mouth. "Oh my God Jason…I'm….I'm gonna cum."

And she exploded, the tiny pin pricks tingling up and down from her insides out and Jason quickly lapped up her juices and before she could open her eyes he was over her, quickly rolling a condom onto his long hard thick shaft and plunging inside of her, filling her to the hilt with his cock.

He moved quickly, loving the feel of his balls slapping against her ass as he built her up to another orgasm he hoped would explode around him just as he was exploding inside of her.

"Oh Jason" Maxie practically yelled as he pounded into her tight channel.

"Oh FUCK Maxie you feel so good." He grunted reaching underneath her to cup her ass cheek and tilt her core up to him. He used his other arm to shove her leg up above her head and turned slightly to get a different angle as he pivoted in long hard strokes in and out of her.

"Daddy, what are you doing to Maxie?"

Maxie screamed and Jason immediately went limp and scrambled to pull the covers up over the both of their exposed, naked and joined bodies.

"JACOB MARTIN" He yelled. "I'VE TOLD YOU NOT TO JUST WALK IN HERE. YOU HAVE TO KNOCK."

"But Daddy, Maxie was screaming."

Jason looked down at Maxie's face. They were now both under the covers from head to toe. He was still inside her but rapidly losing girth to his shaft and slowly he groaned as he pulled out of her. He gave one light peck to her lips and whispered 'We'll finish this later' and then rolled off of her and peeked his head out from the top of the covers.

"What are you doing to Maxie Daddy?"

"Don't you worry about what me and Maxie were doing. How many times have I told you to knock before entering this room when the door is closed?"

"About a million but you were hurting Maxie."

"He wasn't hurting me Jake honey. I'm okay." Maxie said from her hiding spot under the covers. "It's okay."

"And Daddy, you have to put a toy in the swear box. And that was the "F" word so it has to be something like your pool cue or your key to your motorcycle." Came Cameron's sleepy response as he rubbed at his eyes and moved past his brother to climb up on the bed.

Jason smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand and groaned. "What are you two doing up?"

"Daddy you and Maxie woke me up. You were yelling and there was banging and stuff." Jake said as he followed his brother and climbed up on the bed bending down to lift Prince up on the bed first.

Soon Precious followed and Popeye could be heard scrambling to his feet, his claws scratching at the tile floor in the play room as he was trying to get up on his feet and run to where the rest of the family was congregating.

Jason peeked under the sheet Maxie had tightly clasped and covered her head when he heard her giggle. "And what's so funny?"

"I told you to do something about the headboard."

"That's enough out of you WOMAN!"

"WOMAN? You're calling me _woman_ now? You are such a brute." She feigned offense and he rolled his eyes.

He dropped the sheet down to see two pair of eyes, one set blue and one brown staring at him. Then a set of coal black eyes, another set of coal black eyes and bounding around the corner came a set of hazel eyes that leaped up on the bed, nearly knocking Jake and Prince off and aggravating Precious enough for her to turn and growl at the oafish dog.

"This is the brute. Popeye get down! Precious, you too! Cam and Jake…get out of here! Go brush your teeth or watch cartoons or…go back to bed. And take Prince with you."

"What are you going to do Daddy?" Cameron asked.

"I'm going back to sleep." He announced hoping that would get everyone except Maxie out of his room.

"You weren't sleeping when I came in here." Jake announced and then for added grief. "What were you doing bouncing on Maxie and why aren't you wearing your pj's?"

"Oh shit" He heard Maxie say under her breath.

"You weren't wearing your pj's?" Cameron asked. "Why aren't you wearing your pj's Daddy?"

Jason dropped his chin to his chest. But he still smiled loving the sound of Cameron Alexander calling him Daddy.

"It's none of your business." Jason said.

"Maxie isn't wearing any pj's either." Jake whispered to his brother but the neighbors could have heard him. The boy couldn't whisper.

"You're both naked?" Cameron asked with questioning eyes turning to his father and then to the lump under the covers.

"You see what your big mouth started." Jason said to Maxie and he poked her in the side, or what he thought was her side.

"OWWWW That's my boob you Neanderthal." She screamed and her bare leg shot out from under the covers and kicked him.

"Daddy you gotta say sorry." Jake announced shaking his head and climbing off the bed and turning to scoop up Prince.

"I've been saying I'm sorry all night Jake. As a matter of fact, you interrupted me saying I'm sorry."

"Jason don't tell him that!" Maxie's head shot out from under the cover to give him a warning glare.

"Well the kids are telling me to apologize to you and I'm trying to explain to them that I've apologized to you all night. As a matter of fact all yesterday evening as well."

"But she called you a nanderfalls Daddy. You always have to say sorry when she calls you a nanderfalls cause you did something mean." Jason's jaw clenched at his youngest son.

That boy was a traitor. He always took Maxie's side no matter what the situation. And now it seemed, he would be doing it again. Everyone said he was just like Jason. Looks and personality. And that may be true but the little boy loved Maxie more than anything in this world and that included his Daddy.

"It's not NANderfalls Jake. It's NEEanderfalls. You know like your knee?" The six year old stood from the bed and lifted his leg tapping his knee cap. "NEEanderfalls"

"No it's THALLS…TH…TH…like think or thump." Maxie chimed in "NeanderTHal"

"Oh" both boys looked at her and then looked at their father. "Why were you naked and hurting Maxie and saying bad words and making her call you a NEEanderTHal?" Jake asked.

He wasn't letting up.

Reaching down to the floor next to him he picked up his black silk pajama bottoms. There was no sense in hiding that he was naked. Both boys knew he was naked so he grabbed them, turned on the bed, put both feet through the leg openings then stood up letting the sheet and blanket fall from covering him and pulled them the rest of the way up.

"Come on boys. Let's go get some coffee and juice and see what's for breakfast and I'll talk to you about what you saw." He was tying his pants and when done used his hand on each boys head to push them out of the room.

He turned to close the door and could see Maxie shaking from laughter. "I'm glad you think this is funny Maxie. I'm about to have to explain something to a four year old and a six year old that shouldn't be hearing this for another five years, at least."

"Well, go easy on them. Leave out A LOT of details and try to resist the urge to shoot your brains out afterward. Okay?"

She smiled and then quickly dropped the sheet so he could get a view of her pert breasts that were still tingling and hungering for him. "Then hurry back. I think I may need help in the shower."

She watched as that little peek and the suggestion made his pants move from his dick twitching and his eyes eclipsed, the pupils enlarging with passion. "I love you. I'll try to make this really quick."

He went to shut the door then peeked his head back in, noticing she was reaching for something on the bedside table. "Oh and that condom is somewhere floating under the covers."

"EWWW" she screeched and he smiled, blew her a kiss and closed the door.

~%~%~%~%~%~

As soon as the door was shut, Maxie waited to the count of three then grabbed for the letter that was sitting on the bedside table underneath her phone.

She could not tear it open fast enough.

It was torn on the edge and had teeth mark holes but it was still in tact. It was weathered and semi hard from having been wet but the words on the page were clear.

_Princess,_

_To say I love you does not begin to tell you how I feel. I am so in love with you that I don't think those eight letters come close to summing up what you mean to me._

_I have to leave you. Michael is out of his coma and Claudia is on the loose in Port Charles. I know I made you and Jake and Cam promises and I intend to keep every one but I also made a promise to Michael and I cannot in good conscience go back on my word to him._

_I won't be able to call you. Although I'll try if it's safe. I cannot lead my enemies to you and the boys and I know going to Port Charles to avenge Michael's shooting is already a huge risk to our new life. _

_Just know that I am thinking about you and wishing you were in my arms the entire time I'm gone._

_I wish I could tell you I'll only be a few days or a week but I don't know how long I'll be or when I will return. Honestly, I'd be lying if I said there wasn't a slight chance that I won't return at all._

_If that happens, the envelope I've enclosed has the accounts and codes to my safe deposit box, the password to my computer and the combination to all of the lock boxes in the house, in the garage and anywhere else. Call Spinelli but there's some stuff that even he doesn't know. I want you and the boys to have everything I own. I want to be there but if I can't be, at least I know that you and the boys are set for life._

_Maxie, I know that you and I have had a hard road to get here but I want you to know that you are my world. You make me happier than I've ever been. Raising my boys with you is the most precious gift I'll ever get out of life._

_I cannot wait to get home and be with my family. That's what you are. You, Cameron, Jake, Precious, Popeye and Prince. You're my family._

_And you, Princess, are the center of our world. This family only works because of you. You are the key to my happiness. You are everything to me._

_You are my life._

_And that's why I say that simply saying I love you just isn't enough._

_Always,_

_Jason_

Jason watched from the cracked door as she read the letter over and over again. He'd come back to the room because the boys could have cared less about why they were naked in bed as soon as Power Rangers came on so he decided that was his chance to finish making love to the woman he adored above all others.

He watched silently as she moved the paper to her mouth, kissed it and then stood and pulled her journal from the table that set next to the window looking out at the back yard. She pulled at the red velvet string and opened it, lifting the pen to jot down a few words and then tucked the letter inside.

"I meant every word." He said as he finally moved into the room.

She didn't even flinch. She knew he was there. It didn't matter.

"You were right. Had I read the letter it would have been much easier on me."

"I'm sorry." He said as he moved up behind her and wrapped his arms around her kissing the top of her head.

"Stop apologizing. If you weren't the man that kept your promise to your old life, you wouldn't be the man that I trust to keep your promise to me and our new life."

"I promised I'd take care of you." He whispered against her temple and she sighed.

"You've given me a lifetime of promises."

"And I intend to keep every one." He turned her in his arms, knowing that suddenly, their relationship had shifted yet again. It was more solid and complete now.

"I will love you always Maxie."

She leaned up on her toes and kissed him pouring all the love she had into that one moment in time.

She pulled back locking eyes with him and whispered, "And that's the promise of a lifetime."

**The End**


End file.
